Ear Infections - Symptoms

Complications

Hearing Loss and Speech or Developmental Delay

While severe cases of recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) or persistent otitis media with effusion (OME) are associated with impaired hearing for a period of time, the long-term consequences resulting from this hearing loss may not be significant in most children.

Hearing loss in children may temporarily slow down language development and reading skills. However, uncomplicated chronic middle ear effusion generally poses no danger for developmental delays in otherwise healthy children. As the majority of chronic ear effusion cases eventually clear up on their own, many doctors recommend against placement of tympanostomy tubes for most children.

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Rarely, patients with chronic otitis media develop involvement of the inner ear. In these situations hearing loss can potentially be permanent. Most of these patients will also have problems with vertigo (dizziness).

Physical and Structural Injuries in the Face and Ears

Serious complications or permanent physical injuries from ear infections are very uncommon, but may include:

• Structural damage. Certain children with severe or recurrent otitis media may be at risk for structural damage in the ear, including erosion of the ear canal.
• Cholesteatomas. Inflammatory tissues in the ear called cholesteatomas are an uncommon complication of chronic or severe ear infections.
• Calcifications. In rare cases, even after a mild infection, some children develop calcification and hardening in the middle and, occasionally, in the inner ear. This may be due to immune abnormalities.

Mastoiditis

Before the introduction of antibiotics, mastoiditis (an infection in the bones located in the skull region behind the ears) was a serious, although rare, complication of otitis media. The condition is difficult to treat and requires intravenous antibiotics and drainage procedures. Surgery may be necessary.

If pain and fever persist in spite of antibiotic treatment of otitis media, the doctor should check for mastoiditis. Most cases of mastoiditis are generally not associated with ear infections.