Otitis Media, the medical term for an infection or inflammation of the middle ear, is the most common childhood illness next to the common cold. The number of infections diagnosed has increased over the last twenty years due to increased awareness and diagnosis but also to the problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria, a major health concern.
Children are more likely to suffer from ear infections than adults for several reasons.
First, a child's immune system is more immature and may have trouble fighting infections. And their eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat, is shorter and straighter than in an adult and may be more easily blocked by swelling and secretions. This lack of ventilation and drainage allows fluid to accumulate in the middle ear making it easier for infections to develop. Fortunately, as children get older, their immune systems and eustachian tubes mature and function better so that ear infections usually can be outgrown by the age of three or four. There are several risk factors for developing childhood ear infections.