Health

Ear Infections Temporary and Normal for Infants

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Ear Infections Temporary and Normal for Infants

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Researchers now say persistent ear infections, known as otitis media, in a child's first three years does not affect cognitive, language, speech or psychosocial development. Otitis media is the inflammation of the middle ear marked by pain, fever, dizziness, and abnormalities of hearing.

Investigators from the University of Pittsburgh also found no significant differences between the 204 children who received early treatment for otitis media and the 193 children who received late treatment.

In addition, prompt insertion of tubes does not seem to significantly improve development at age 4. The tubes, surgically inserted through the eardrums, drain built-up fluid in the middle ear and improve hearing. Of the 161 children who had developmental testing at age 3 and did not receive tubes, only 22 were found to have unilateral middle-ear effusion and nine to have bilateral middle-ear effusion.

The study suggests children who develop persistent middle-ear effusion within the first three years of life are more or less isolated conditions and, therefore, health care professionals should restrain from recommending tube insertion. Also called glue ear, middle-ear effusion commonly follows an ear infection, though it can occur without prior infection.

Otitis media is most common in young children because they have shorter, more horizontal eustachian tubes, which are more easily blocked than those of older children and adults. Otitis media occurs frequently with a cold or other upper respiratory infections during the winter months. Almost all children have at least one ear infection before they are 7 years old.