Is It Okay If My Child Has Frequent Ear Infections?

The above question may arise in the minds of majority of parents. It can become an event of anxiety when your child encounters problems in the ear. But, you aren’t the only one. Children are prone to having ear infections during their childhood, and that is absolutely alright. However, this doesn’t mean that you sit back and relax, thinking that things will work out on their own. You will need to seek the help of an ENT doctor.

Which ear parts are responsible for bringing an infection?

There is a pair of narrow tubes than run down from the middle ear to the back of the throat, which open and close to regulate pressure and drain normal secretions from the middle ear. These tubes are known as Eustachian tubes. Then, there are adenoids located high in the throat behind the nose and roof of the mouth, which work to fight infections by swelling and trapping germs that enter the body. When any of these two ear parts have a problem, it results in your child having an infection.

Why are children more likely to have ear infections?

Remember that children’s ears are very different from the ears of adults. Their Eustachian tubes are smaller and more level, which makes it difficult for fluid to drain from the ear. Now, when a child has a cold (which is a very common symptom for children), fluid drainage can become even more problematic. Also, cold can have the adenoids to get swollen, thus interfering with the body’s ability to ventilate the middle ear. This is when you may find your child having ear problems and infections. After a cold, sore throat, or other upper respiratory infections, the bacteria may spread to the middle ear, building up fluid behind the eardrum. This is what causes ear infection.

Can ear infection be prevented?

You can see how a simple cold can result in ear problems with children. Thus, it is almost impossible to prevent such infections, but you can definitely reduce their chances by taking these simple steps.

• Vaccinate your child against flu every year and, also ask your doctor about other necessary vaccinations to keep them protected against infections.

• Teach your child to wash their hands well and frequently with soap and warm water.

• Keep your child away from sick children, as children are very likely to catch other children’s sicknesses quickly.

While you may take the above steps into action, your child will still have ear infections at some point or the other in childhood. You can lessen the chances, but you can't completely eliminate them. So, it is important that you have an ENT doctor in touch who can take care of your child’s condition quicker and better. However, make sure that you are choosing the right ENT doctor for your child. Maitri Hospital has some of the best ENT doctors in the city. There is also a special ENT surgeon in Kota working here who can take care of complex ear problems that may require a surgery.

For more information, visit our website: http://www.maitrihospital.com/