Why Do Children Get Many More Ear Infections Than Adults Will My Child Always Get Ear Infections
Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections for these reasons:
- The eustachian tubes in young children are shorter and more horizontal. This shape encourages fluid to gather behind the eardrum.
- The immune system of children, which in the bodys infection-fighting system, is still developing.
- The adenoids in children are relatively larger than they are in adults. The adenoids are the small pads of tissue above the throat and behind the nose and near the eustachian tubes. As they swell to fight infection, they may block the normal ear drainage from the eustachian tube into the throat. This blockage of fluid can lead to a middle ear infection.
Most children stop getting ear infections by age 8.
How Is An Ear Infection Diagnosed
Ear exam
Your healthcare provider will look at your or your childs ear using an instrument called an otoscope. A healthy eardrum will be pinkish gray in color and translucent . If infection is present, the eardrum may be inflamed, swollen or red.
Your healthcare provider may also check the fluid in the middle ear using a pneumatic otoscope, which blows a small amount of air at the eardrum. This should cause the eardrum to move back and forth. The eardrum will not move as easily if there is fluid inside the ear.
Another test, tympanometry, uses air pressure to check for fluid in the middle ear. This test doesnt test hearing. If needed, your healthcare provider will order a hearing test, performed by an audiologist, to determine possible hearing loss if you or your child has had long lasting or frequent ear infections or fluid in the middle ears that is not draining.
Other checks
Your healthcare provider will also check your throat and nasal passage and listen to your breathing with a stethoscope for signs of upper respiratory infections.
See Your Doctor As Soon As Possible If You Experience Any Of These Troubling Symptoms
We all get headaches from time to time. They can be brought on by annoying but manageable reasons such as stress, dehydration or your menstrual cycle, or they could be the result of an ongoing medical issue, such as migraines.
But how can you tell when a headache is a symptom of an even more serious or life-threatening problem? Here are some signs to look for.
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What Conditions Can Cause A Headache And A Fever
Since it is unusual to experience migraines and fevers together, a headache coupled with a fever may not be a migraine attack at all. There are various conditions in which headaches and fevers occur together as symptoms of other diseases, which include the following.
Infections
If your system is under attack from a microbe such as a bacterium or a virus, then your body responds to the infection in the form of many different symptoms, one of which may be a fever. The fever itself can then give rise to a headache.
Infections that can cause a headache along with a fever includes:
What Happens When A Child Has A Low Grade Fever
A low-grade fever may affect appetite and cause morning stiffness. Swollen lymph nodes and joint deformity may also be seen along with low-grade fever. Children may show ear-pulling habit. Fevers frequently come along with infections, and fever is a part of the bodys natural defense system against these infections.
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I Heard That The Second Dose Of The Vaccine Causes More Severe Side Effects Than The First If I Get A Headache From The First Dose Should I Skip Or Delay Getting The Second Dose
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses to achieve optimal immunity and protection against COVID-19 infection. The Pfizer vaccine should be repeated in 21 days and the Moderna vaccine repeated one month after the first dose. If you receive only one dose or delay the second dose past the recommended schedule, you will not be fully protected. Remember, the headache, even if it is slightly worse than the one from the first vaccine, is short-lasting and mild. The headaches and other vaccine side effects may make you uncomfortable for a few days. But it is a small price to pay considering that COVID-19 can be deadly or lead to long-term disability.
Is It A Sinus Infection Or Cold
It can be difficult to tell the difference between a sinus infection and a cold as the symptoms can be very similar. Sinus infections often develop after a cold.
Sinusitis tends to last longer than a cold. Cold symptoms tend to get steadily worse, peaking at 35 days, then gradually get better. Sinus infections may last 10 days or more.
Some symptoms are more likely to be caused by sinusitis than a cold, including:
- swelling of the tissue in the nose
- green discharge from the nose
- a swollen or tender face
Unlike a cold, sinusitis can become chronic, which means it lasts longer than eight weeks. Chronic sinusitis causes swelling and irritation in the sinuses and usually develops after a person has had acute sinusitis. Sometimes the symptoms go away and then come back again.
Ongoing sinus symptoms even if they get better and then come back may indicate chronic sinusitis.
Sinus infections often go away on their own without medical treatment. There are, however, some things a person can do at home to relieve the bothersome symptoms.
To treat sinusitis symptoms with home remedies , try:
Avoid using decongestants on a long-term basis without talking to a doctor first because they can make congestion worse if used for too long.
- symptoms last longer than 10 days with no improvement
- fever lasts longer than 3-4 days
- the pain is very intense
- a person with a suspected sinus infection has a drugs that suppress the immune system, or organ failure
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Can Ear Infections Cause High Fevers And Vomiting
my little girl is almost 2 and she’s had 2 ear infections before with only minor symptoms, like irritability and a low grade fever…She’s been running a HIGH fever, almost 103 if i dont keep her on tylenol and ibuprofen, for 3 days now. She vomited 4 times and has been nauseous, and has been sticking her fingers in her mouth and acting like her teeth hurt. She said her head has a booboo, so i think she has a headache too or she could have been meaning her ear. I took her to the dr and he just listened to her breathing and checked her ears and that was it but he said she had an ear infection and put her on amoxicillan. So she’s been on amoxicillan since 11:30 am yesterday and its 1:30 am now, but i’ve been alternating tylenol and ibuprofen ALL DAY and as soon as it starts to wear off, her fever spikes back up and it takes so long to get it back down, i’m really worried about her. Is this normal for just an ear infection or is it something else? I’m worried my one month old will catch it!!! And shouldnt the antibiotics be working by now!!?? i am about to wake her up for more meds because she feels feverish again 🙁
yeap. That is how my ear infections are. I go from nothing to major symptoms
Quoting Cylus’s Mommy:” yeap. That is how my ear infections are. I go from nothing to major symptoms ”
how long till the fever goes down?? i’m worried about her!
The Migraine Hangover Can Cause Lingering Symptoms After Head Pain Subsides
Many people know about the auras that can precede migraines, and the pain during a migraine, but fewer know about the postdrome that can come after the pain ends. Postdrome also called the migraine hangover, comes after the pain of a migraine attack has subsided. Symptoms can last hours or even several days. While not everyone with migraine suffers from postdrome, those who do report it can be as debilitating as the migraine pain itself. Common postdrome symptoms include fatigue, nausea, sensitivity to light, dizziness, body aches, and difficulty concentrating. One postdrome sufferer described the day after a migraine headache as feeling like a mental fog, one so heavy that even routine tasks take on an otherworldly quality.
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How Do Ear Infections Happen
A middle ear infection usually happens because of swelling in one or both of the eustachian tubes . The tubes let mucus drain from the middle ear into the throat.
A cold, throat infection, acid reflux, or allergies can make the eustachian tubes swell. This blocks the mucus from draining. Then, or grow in the mucus and make pus, which builds up in the middle ear.
When doctors refer to an ear infection, they usually mean otitis media rather than swimmer’s ear . Otitis media with effusion is when noninfected fluid builds up in the ear. It might not cause symptoms, but in some kids, the fluid creates a sensation of ear fullness or “popping.”
What Is The Prognosis For People With Migraines
Migraines are unique to each individual. Likewise, how migraines are managed is also unique. The best outcomes are usually achieved by learning and avoiding personal migraine triggers, managing symptoms, practicing preventive methods, following the advice of your healthcare provider and reporting any significant changes as soon as they occur.
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Coping Strategies To Ward Off Migraine Fatigue
Researchers believe the fatigue that often accompanies migraine is not because of the toll pain takes on us. Rather, the evidence points to fatigue being part of migraine pathophysiology, which is defined as the functional bodily changes produced by the disease. Include fatigue symptoms in your migraine diary, and mention them to your health care providers. There may be help available that youre not aware of.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- How can I keep my child comfortable at night with the pain of an ear infection?
- Is there drainage with an ear infection?
- What is the difference between an ear infection and swimmers ear?
- Is my child a candidate for ear tubes?
- What are the risks and benefits of surgically inserting tubes inside my childs middle ear?
- Should my child get regular hearing tests if they have frequent ear infections?
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Can Ear Infections Affect Hearing
Fluid buildup in the middle ear also blocks sound, which can lead to temporary hearing problems. Kids having a problem might:
- not respond to soft sounds
- need to turn up the TV or radio
- talk louder
- seem inattentive at school
In kids who have otitis media with effusion, the fluid behind the eardrum can block sound, so mild temporary hearing loss can happen, but might not be obvious.
A child whose eardrum has ruptured might have ringing or buzzing in the ear and not hear as well as usual.
Who Is At Higher Risk For Ear Infections
- Children less than 5 years old, because they have shorter eustachian tubes.
- Children who attend daycare, because they tend to have more colds.
- Children with allergies.
- Children who are exposed to cigarette smoke. Smoke causes inflammation of the eustachian tube, making ear infections more likely.
- Children who were not breastfed. Breast milk has antibodies that help fight infections.
- Babies who are being bottle fed, especially if they swallow milk while lying too flat. Milk can enter the eustachian tube and cause inflammation, which increases the risk of an ear infection. Children should be held upright while drinking a bottle. When they are old enough to hold their own bottle well, they should be taught to drink from a regular cup and no longer given a bottle.
- Children with cleft palates, as their eustachian tubes are often inflamed.
- Children of First Nations and Inuit descent, though its not clear why.
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Headache And Fever Could Be Signs Of An Infection
If your system is under attack from a viral illness, then a fever is part of your bodys response to the infection, says Strauss. If you also have a headache, the fever itself may be contributing to the headache, but it may also just be the infection in general causing a headache, she says.
If the headaches severe, it could be a really serious infection, like meningitis or encephalitis, says Strauss.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, and is most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection of the brain and spinal fluid, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Babies and children are at the highest risk for meningitis, though it can happen at any age. Sometimes those patients have other symptoms to go along with that, like neck pain, neck stiffness, or neurologic symptoms , says Strauss.
Encephalitis is the inflammation of the active tissues of the brain that is the result of an infection or an autoimmune response, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. In addition to headache and fever, symptoms can include seizure, neck stiffness, and sensitivity to light and sound.
These infections can be life-threatening emergencies. Depending on the severity of the situation, you may need to go to an urgent care center or emergency room for a fever with a headache, Strauss says.
How Do I Know If My Child Has An Ear Infection
Older children will usually complain of an earache. While younger children might not be able to say they have an earache, they may:
- have an unexplained fever,
- tug or pull at their ears, or
- have trouble hearing quiet sounds.
Some children with an ear infection may also have fluid draining from the ear.
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What Causes An Ear Infection
Ear infections are caused by bacteria and viruses. Many times, an ear infection begins after a cold or other respiratory infection. The bacteria or virus travel into the middle ear through the eustachian tube . This tube connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. The bacteria or virus can also cause the eustachian tube to swell. This swelling can cause the tube to become blocked, which keeps normally produced fluids to build up in the middle ear instead of being able to be drained away.
Adding to the problem is that the eustachian tube is shorter and has less of a slope in children than in adults. This physical difference makes these tubes easier to become clogged and more difficult to drain. The trapped fluid can become infected by a virus or bacteria, causing pain.
Medical terminology and related conditions
Because your healthcare provider may use these terms, its important to have a basic understanding of them:
When Should I Return To My Healthcare Provider For A Follow
Your healthcare provider will let you know when you need to return for a follow-up visit. At that visit, you or your childs eardrum will be examined to be certain that the infection is going away. Your healthcare provider may also want to test you or your child’s hearing.
Follow-up exams are very important, especially if the infection has caused a hole in the eardrum.
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What Do You Think People Who Haven’t Been Vaccinated Need To Hear
If you havent been vaccinated, go find your health care provider, ask them the questions that are making you not get vaccinated and think about it again. These vaccines are very safe, and they dont contain microbots or trackers. We at FDA make sure they are safe, pure and potent, and we stand by that. And we do know that these vaccines have the chance of helping us get back to more normal lives.
Where To Get Help
- Your doctor
- NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. for expert health information and advice
- Royal Children’s Hospital Tel. 9345 5522
- Your maternal and child health nurse
- Your local hospital emergency or casualty department.
- 24 hour Maternal and Child Health Telephone Service: Tel. 13 22 29 for the cost of a local call throughout Victoria.
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How To Tell If Your Child Has An Ear Infection
About 50% of children with an ear infection will have a fever. Diagnosis. A doctor can diagnose a bacterial ear infection by looking at the eardrum. It will be bulging and have pus behind it. For viral ear infections, the eardrum will be red but not bulging. Age Range. Ear infections peak at age 6 months to 2 years.
Ear ache and Fever. WebMD Symptom Checker helps you find the most common medical conditions indicated by the symptoms ear ache and fever including Middle ear infection, Ear canal infection, and Viral pharyngitis. There are 76 conditions associated with ear ache and fever.
How Is A Middle
Your health care provider will take a medical history and do a physicalexam. He or she will look at the outer ear and eardrum with an otoscope.The otoscope is a lighted tool that lets your provider see inside the ear.A pneumatic otoscope blows a puff of air into the ear to check how wellyour eardrum moves. If you eardrum doesnt move well, it may mean you havefluid behind it.
Your provider may also do a test called tympanometry. This test tells howwell the middle ear is working. It can find any changes in pressure in themiddle ear. Your provider may test your hearing with a tuning fork.
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