In the cold winter in Hong Kong, children can easily suffer from an upper respiratory infection. If they experience earache during or after catching a cold, this could be a sign of otitis media, which is inflammation of the middle ear mainly caused by respiratory infections. It is common among toddlers and children, affecting nearly 80% of children by the age of seven. If your child experiences fever, earache and restlessness, you should bring him/her to a doctor as soon as possible.

Why are children prone to otitis media?

Since the Eustachian tube of children is not fully developed, it is shorter, looser and more horizontal than that of an adult. If children suffer from a cold or chronic allergies, their nasal mucus carrying bacteria or viruses can easily enter their ears through the Eustachian tube, leading to inflammation of the middle ear.

Otitis media can be divided into acute and chronic infections. Acute otitis media usually occurs with a cold, allergic rhinitis, upper respiratory tract infection, etc. Bacteria and viruses infect the middle ear, leading to swelling, bulging and pain of the eardrum, and even fever, headache and hearing loss.

If the symptoms of acute otitis media subside gradually, but the mucus with viruses and bacteria is not discharged from the throat, it will drain into the middle ear over time, leading to chronic otitis media. If you find your child always pulling his/her ear, and experiencing mood swings, loss of appetite and even mucus draining from the ear, he/she is very likely to be suffering from chronic otitis media.

Another uncommon type of otitis media is called chronic suppurative otitis media, which is a kind of chronic inflammation with severe symptoms. Persistent inflammation of the middle ear causes purulent fluid which compresses and tears the eardrum, the pus will then leak out from the tear. Patients will experience serious symptoms throughout their bodies. If not treated in time, they may suffer from hearing loss and complications such as meningitis.

If your child suffers from otitis media, you should stay calm and seek medical help as soon as possible. Doctors will prescribe pain relievers and fever reducers to ease your child’s symptoms. The infection will go away gradually. If the fever persists for more than 48 hours, your child may need to take antibiotics. If there is pus draining from the ear, ear drops may be prescribed. When the condition is still not resolved with the above treatments, surgical intervention may be required.