Do not give aspirin to a child with fever. Any person showing signs of otitis media should be seen by a physician and treated promptly. For bacterial infections antibiotics are usually prescribed. If an infection does not clear up within ten days another treatment may be prescribed. The virus travels to the ear through the Eustachian tube.
Fluid builds up in the ear.
While the immune system fights the virus, bacteria take advantage and invade the fluid. The infection travels to the eardrum and mastoids, cavities near the ear, and may produce a yellow-green discharge from the ear. As the disease progresses there may be painful swelling and a tumorlike cyst inside the middle ear. If the infection is chronic there can be scarring or breaking of the eardrum, which can lead to deafness . Prevention Children recovering from colds or flu should be watched for signs of ear infection.