How to Tell If It's an Ear Infection
Learn the symptoms, causes, and treatments for this common childhood ailment.
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Recently, I noticed my 8-month-old son tugging on his right ear. That, combined with his unusual crankiness, got my attention. Was he teething? Just discovering his ear? Or could he be signaling that he was suffering from an ear infection? He was just getting over a cold, so I decided to call the pediatrician's office. The nurse suggested bringing him in for a quick peek at his ears. The verdict: no ear infection! While I was relieved, the incident did get me thinking. Did I have to drag him in every time he pulled at his ear? That seemed a little extreme. But what if I was too laid back and missed a real ear infection? I decided it was time to learn a little bit more about this common childhood ailment. Here's what I found out.
How Common Are Ear Infections?
"Next to the common cold, ear infections are the most common disorder in children," says Margaretha Casselbrant, MD, PhD, chief of the division of pediatric otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. The painful facts are that more than 80 percent of children will be diagnosed with an ear infection by the time they celebrate their third birthday, almost half of these kids will have suffered from three or more ear infections by age 3, and the prime time for ear infections is between 6 and 24 months.
- Why Are Kids Prone to Ear Infections?
