Provided by: Scott Kramer, MD
Do you have a child that has had ear infections? Middle ear infections (otitis media) are among the most common infections of childhood. The majority of kids will experience an ear infection at some point during their childhood. Symptoms vary from child to child but can include fever, fussiness, ear tugging, poor sleep, and pain (depending on the age of the child). Initial treatment may include observation (some ear infections will resolve on their own) or oral antibiotics.
Many kids will have an occasional ear infection that responds well to antibiotics. Some kids, unfortunately, will have recurrent ear infections and require multiple courses of antibiotics. In these cases, often, the child will build up fluid in one or both ears and are never able to clear it. If your child has experienced three or more infections in the past year, your primary care provider may refer you to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor, or “ENT”). As otolaryngologists, we perform a comprehensive evaluation of each patient’s head and neck anatomy, can assess for hearing difficulties and may offer to proceed with ear tubes if indicated.