Ear Conditions
There are a number of ear conditions that may plague a child’s life, including SWIMMER’S EAR, EAR INFECTION, EARACHE, and MIDDLE EAR BAROTRAUMA.
Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear is a painful infection in the delicate skin of the outer ear canal caused by frequent exposure to water that keeps the skin of the ear canal damp, providing an ideal environment for bacteria and fungi to grow. Swimmer’s ear is also known as an external ear infection (otitis externa). The resulting irritation may first cause itching, followed by swelling of the skin of the ear canal and drainage. This may be accompanied by severe pain that is worsened when the ear lobe or other outside part of the ear is touched.
Ear Infection
A common childhood infection involving the middle ear (that cavity between the eardrum and the inner ear) known medically as otitis media. Symptoms of a middle ear infection include hearing loss and the presence of pus or fluid. The infection may be treated with antibiotics. An ear infection can cause a great deal of pain, but since it can be treated simply and effectively, there are rarely any serious, long-term complications.
Serious cases may occur in some children who experience recurring ear infections. This most commonly develops within two months of birth and is characterized by persistent fluid in the middle ear and temporary hearing loss. This condition may be hereditary, and sometimes must be treated with long-term use of antibiotics or surgery.
Children are very susceptible to ear infections. Nearly all children experience an ear infection before the age of six, and they are at their most vulnerable up to age two. Bacteria enter from the back of the throat via the eustachian tube, the passage that connects the back of the nose to the middle ear. The angle and shortness of the eustachian tube in children facilitates the bacterial transmission.
Middle Ear Barotrauma
Another kind of earache can occur when a child is in a descending airplane. Called middle ear barotrauma, it is related to abnormal pressure changes in the air space behind the eardrum. Even in a pressurized aircraft cabin, there is a drop in the cabin air pressure as the plane climbs. As the plane descends, air pressure rises. When a plane descends and the pressure in the cabin increases, the air pressure in the middle ear must be equalized. If it is not, the increased cabin air pressure pushes on the eardrum and causes pain. Normally the eustachian tube will open to equalize pressure (this is what happens when a child yawns or swallows), and the result is the “popping” sensation in the ear. However, children have a relatively small eustachian tube that may not function effectively. This can cause pain.
