Ear Infections - Highlights

Highlights

Ear Infections

Middle ear (otitis media) infections are very common in young children. They include:

• Acute otitis media (AOM) is an inflammation caused by bacteria that travel to the middle ear from fluid trapped in the Eustachian tube. Children with AOM exhibit signs of an ear infection including pain, fever, and tugging at the ear.
• Otitis media with effusion (OME) refers to fluid that accumulates in the middle ear without obvious signs of infection. OME usually produces no symptoms, but some children will have difficulty hearing or complain of “plugged up” ears.

Prevention

Preventing colds and influenza (“flu”) is the best way to prevent ear infections. Make sure children wash their hands frequently and receive an influenza vaccine annually. The pneumococcal vaccine is also very helpful for preventing ear infections.

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Pneumococcal Vaccine

In 2010, the FDA approved Prevnar 13, a new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that protects against more strains of disease-causing bacteria than its predecessor. The vaccine is specifically approved to help prevent invasive pneumococcal disease and otitis media. The recommended immunization schedule is the same as the older version, with four consecutive doses given when a child is 2, 4, 6, and 12 - 15 months of age.

Treatment

• Antibiotics are effective treatment for acute otitis media. However, many ear infections resolve without antibiotic treatment.
• For most children with AOM, doctors recommend waiting 48 - 72 hours before prescribing antibiotics. However, children younger than 6 months should receive immediate antibiotic treatment. Parents can give children 6 months and older ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help relieve pain.
• Antibiotics are not helpful for most cases of OME. Doctors usually monitor children with OME for 3 months to see if their condition improves. Some children with hearing loss and developmental problems may eventually need surgery. Inserting tubes into the ear drum (tympanostomy) is the usual surgery for this problem.

Review Date: 05/03/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).