Children are very frequently suffering from ear ailments. It’s tough to discern the disease since the child can’t explain the condition and excessive crying or pulling the ear is the only symptom that helps the parents reach a conclusion.
The most common type of ear disease in children is:
- Middle ear infection·
- Glue ear·
- Impacted wax ·
- Fungal infected
Symptoms of Middle Ear Infections
Many children suffer from Ear diseases the common symptoms are:·
- Earache·
- Headache·
- Ear blockage·
- Fever·
- Ear Discharge·
- Difficulty in hearing·
- Difficulty in sleeping·
- Loss of appetite·
- Excessive crying
Cause of frequent middle-ear infections in children:
In children, the eustachian tube is straight compared to adults, so the chances of middle ear infection from throat or nose infection are higher in children.
The function of the Eustachian Tube:
It’s a tube connecting the ear with the back of the nose. It helps maintain the pressure in the middle ear and drains the fluids of the middle ear.
Most Common Diseases:
Glue Ear:
Glue Ear or Otitis Media with effusion (OME) is when the Middle ear is filled with thick fluid which could further progress into a middle ear infection. If the infection is not cleared by antibiotic the pus behind the ear drum has to be cleared by making a hole in the eardrum or a tube insertion k/a Grommet. It is aggravated by adenoids or recurrent nose or throat infections. Glue ear becomes less common as the child grows older.
Impacted Wax:
At times the ear is blocked by wax which accumulates in the ear canal and causes difficulty in hearing in children too. Cleaning the wax would relieve the problem.
Fungal Infection:
Due to moist ears, children often suffer from middle ear fungal infection aka Otomycosis which would be treated by cleaning the debris from the ear and treated with antifungal drops.