Ear infections are the second most common illness among infants and toddlers, after the common cold. Most children get at least one ear infection in their first 3 years, usually between 3 and 18 months of age. So it’s best to be prepared to deal with ear infections. The most common type of ear infection, ‘acute otitis media’, is an infection of the middle ear which contains the hearing apparatus behind the eardrum, deep inside the ear canal.
Most ear infections are caused by viruses (such as the cold and flu viruses) and some are caused by bacteria. Germs from nose and throat can enter easily to the middle ear through the Eustachian tubes. The Eustachian tube is a canal that connects your middle ear to your throat is designed to protect the middle ear by helping to equalise pressure and drain fluid from the middle ear.
However, in infants Eustachian tubes are very short, wider and placed more horizontally. As children get older, those tubes stretch into a more vertical position. All these properties of Eustachian tube in infants allowed entering any liquid substances and germs from the baby’s nose and throat to travel up into the middle ear, which in turns lead to higher rates of ear infection in infants. Feeding while lying flat, liquid flows to this area at the back of the throat without being swallowed; it can enter into the middle ear, this is also a common cause for an ear infection.
Breastfed babies are naturally fed at a 45-degree angle or greater on mother’s lap or chest in a sitting position of both mother and baby. Sometimes, due to tiredness, mothers themselves in lying position feed their babies at a lying position too. A regular practice of feeding on lying position can make babies vulnerable to have a middle ear infection.
Middle ear infection causes pain in ear but most of the babies cannot express their discomfort right away. The parents become concerned when infection worsens. When liquids enter in to middle ear, infection has progressed, pus builds up in the ear, tympanic membrane gets perforated and pus comes out from the ear canal. At this time babies may have slight fever with pain. If this is left untreated, there can be very serious consequences that might even cause permanent damage of tympanic membrane and middle ear.
To prevent such middle ear infection feed your baby in an upright or sitting position. Don’t put your baby to sleep with a bottle because the milk can enter the eustachian tubes and make ear infections more likely. Use high pillow behind baby’s head and neck if you need to feed your baby on lying position or you can keep your arm underneath baby’s head and neck to place the baby’s head 4-5 inches above from the bed.