Ear infections are the bane of both children and their parents.
In some youngsters they are a very frequent occurrence taking place 2 or 3 times a winter. They are associated with varying degrees of pain ranging from the child just pulling at the ear to screams of discomfort. Fever is usually present but does not have to be. The infections are usually caused by a virus or bacteria but frequently it is difficult to be certain which one is the cause. Recently there has been an increasing amount of controversy among physicians regarding the use of antibiotics in treating ear infections.