Culture and Sensitivity - Ear Swab Tips

Ear problems can strike any individual of any age, and be very troublesome. It can even impair normal life. However, children are especially vulnerable to these and all diseases because their immune systems have not developed to full strength yet. There are several kinds of ear diseases that may affect children.

Which is the most common type of ear ailment that affects children?

The human ear has three parts: the inside, the middle and the outside. Children are most prone to acquiring diseases of the middle ear that can impede their hearing temporarily or permanently. The liquid is accumulated in this part of the ear in affected children. Along with mild deafness, related trouble like a pain in the ear may also be caused. Antibiotics are the most common treatment in these cases.

Symptoms: What gives away hidden ear disease in children?

Ear diseases are difficult to detect in children, as the middle ear is not visible with the naked eye, and children most often do not complain of pain there. These symptoms are helpful in detecting if there really is a problem-

Pain in the ears
The pain inside the head
Liquid coming out of the ear
Fever
Losing the will to eat
Difficulty hearing

The most common childhood hearing ailments-

Following are the (hidden) ear diseases that affect the most number of infants and children-

Acute otitis media - This is a severe infection of the middle ear, causing pain and irritation there. Fluid discharges are also common. The child should be taken to visit an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist. They will treat her/him with antibiotics, as the underlying cause is mostly bacteria.

Otitis media with effusion - This occurs after an ear infection is generally over, and the child does not feel any discomfort. However, the doctor senses fluid build up and infections still present in the ear. This condition mostly heals on its own.

Congenital hearing loss - The child may have been born with hearing loss. This happens if congenital hearing loss runs in the family, or if the mother had major diseases like diabetes. Another possibility of hearing loss is that the baby may have been born with disorders of the brain or the nervous system.

Acquired hearing loss - The child may develop hearing loss in her/his lifetime due to reasons like chicken pox, influenza or serious damage to the head.

Hearing loss or ear diseases are somewhat common across age and generations of people, but they also can hinder your normal functioning. If you suspect your child has one, you should take her/him to a specialist immediately and try to test if she/he has any of the above disorders.

The human ear is divided into three parts, namely the outer, middle and inner ear. All these parts function in coherence with each other and help us in converting vibrations into sound and information. The middle ear consists of the air space between the inner ear and the outer ear and contains the bones that transmit the vibrations of the outer ear and translate them into information. This area is prone to infections, especially among children and thus may cause discomfort or pain.

Symptoms of middle ear infections: Middle ear infections primarily tend to manifest themselves as inflammation of the tissues and buildup of fluids. Some of the symptoms are mentioned below.

Infections in children: Middle ear infections primarily occur in children although it can occur in adults as well. Some of the common symptoms could be:

Ear pain either sitting or standing up and especially while lying down
Irritability and crying, which in infants could translate to more than usual crying
Problems with sound and difficulties in hearing
Fluid buildup causing balance related problems
Discharge of fluid in certain cases
Unable to sleep and also loss of appetite
In some cases children may have high fever
Causes of middle ear infections: The primary cause of middle ear infection is due to the presence of bacteria or virus in the area. The Eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat, is connected to nasal passages as well. Any infection that affects the throat or the nose may also affect the middle ear through this tube. Primary causes for the infections could be

Cold or flu like symptoms, which then infect the middle ear as well
Otitis media, which is the buildup of fluid and inflammation either due to the presence of bacteria and viruses or even without it
Seasonal infections, which are common during late autumn or winters
Air pollution is also known to be a factor
Infection from others, especially in the case of children when they are part of a group care
Children from 6 months to 2 years are also susceptible to middle ear infections as their immune systems are much less developed.
Treatment of middle ear infections: Usually, middle ear infections resolve on their own within a day or so. You can try warm compress with a soft piece of cloth to ease the pain. However, if pain persists for too long then antibiotic medications may be required to fight the infection with pain relief medications to lessen the pain and discomfort.

Ear problems can strike any individual of any age, and be very troublesome. It can even impair normal life. However, children are especially vulnerable to these and all diseases because their immune systems have not developed to full strength yet. There are several kinds of ear diseases that may affect children.

Which is the most common type of ear ailment that affects children?

The human ear has the three parts: the inside, the middle and the outside. Children are most prone to acquiring diseases of the middle ear that can impede their hearing temporarily or permanently. The liquid is accumulated in this part of the ear in affected children. Along with mild deafness, related trouble like a pain in the ear may also be caused. Antibiotics are the most common treatment in these cases.

Symptoms: What gives away hidden ear disease in children?

Ear diseases are difficult to detect in children, as the middle ear is not visible with the naked eye, and children most often do not complain of pain there. These symptoms are helpful in detecting if there really is a problem-

Pain in the ears
The pain inside the head
Liquid coming out of the ear
Fever
Losing the will to eat
Difficulty hearing

The most common childhood hearing ailments-

Following are the (hidden) ear diseases that affect the most number of infants and children-

Acute otitis media - This is a severe infection of the middle ear, causing pain and irritation there. Fluid discharges are also common. The child should be taken to visit an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist. They will treat her/him with antibiotics, as the underlying cause is mostly bacteria.

Otitis media with effusion - This occurs after an ear infection is generally over, and the child does not feel any discomfort. However, the doctor senses fluid build up and infections still present in the ear. This condition mostly heals on its own.

Congenital hearing loss - The child may have been born with hearing loss. This happens if congenital hearing loss runs in the family, or if the mother had major diseases like diabetes. Another possibility for hearing loss is that the baby may have been born with disorders of the brain or the nervous system.

Acquired hearing loss - The child may develop hearing loss in her/his lifetime due to reasons like chicken pox, influenza or serious damage to the head.

Hearing loss or ear diseases are somewhat common across age and generations of people, but they also can hinder your normal functioning. If you suspect your child has one, you should take her/him to a specialist immediately and try to test if she/he has any of the above disorders.

Otitis media or an ear infection which affects the middle ear, due to a viral or a bacterial attack. It is a painful condition that crops up due to fluid build-up in the middle ear. Since infections of this nature clear on their own, the treatment concentrates on pain management, and locating the underlying problem that caused the infection. Mostly, children under the age of 10 get affected by this condition. Persistent infections can lead to serious complications such as otitis media with effusion, chronic suppurative otitis media and chronic otitis media with effusion.

Causes of Otitis Media
Otitis media is the result of an infection caused due to a bacteria or virus attack. This condition is often triggered by underlying illness such as allergy, cold or flu. It causes swelling and congestion of the nasal passage eustachian tube and throat.

Role of Eustachian tube
The eustachian tubes are a couple of narrow tubes that run from the middle ear to the throat, behind the nasal passage. The throat end of the tube opens and closes, to perform functions such as regulate air pressure, refresh the air in the ear and drain the normal secretion from the ear. Mucus, swelling and inflammation in the eustachian tubes results in accumulation of fluid.

Role of adenoids
Adenoids are small tissues that are located at the back of the nose, and are believed to play a role in the immune system. Since adenoids are located near the opening of the eustachian tubes, any harm to the adenoids can block the tubes, resulting in infection of the tubes.

Risk factors that can cause Otitis Media

Children aged between 6 months to 2 years are more vulnerable to otitis media, because of the smaller size and shape of the eustachian tube.
Babies, who drink from a bottle while lying down, tend to suffer from eustachian tube infection, compared to babies fed from a plate in an upright position.
Ear infections are prevalent during the winter and fall season. People who suffer from seasonal allergies have a greater probability to suffer from otitis media.
People who are exposed to a high level of air pollution and tobacco smoke, have a greater chance to suffer from air infection than their counterparts.
Professional swimmers who spend a long time in pool tend to suffer from ear infection compared to others.
Children who are kept in a group child care setting, tend to suffer from ear infection. This is owing to a high exposure to cold and infection from other children.

The advent of new age antibiotics has led to an overall decline in the frequency of complications of diseases, and chronic suppurative otitis media is no exception to this. But there is still room for severe complications of the disease related to high mortality, and in most cases, extracranial and intracranial complications of acute and chronic otitis media are seen to be the root cause.

An overview of the complications of the disease
A chronic suppurative otitis media is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation in the middle ear cavity and mastoid cavity.

When the infection spreads from the ear and temporal bone, it leads to intracranial complications of otitis media. This may take place through three routes which include hematogenous dissemination, thrombophlebitis, and direct extension. On the other hand, extracranial complications are generally sequelae of the local chronic or acute complication. The complications of otitis media include-

Leakage of cerebrospinal fluid
Temporal abscess
Encephalocele
Petrositis
Sigmoid sinus thrombosis
Postauricular abscess
Paresis of facial nerve
Mastoiditis
Labyrinthine fistula
Labyrinthitis
Meningitis
Otitic hydrocephalus
The overall number of complications of suppurative otitis media has reduced to a great extent with the availability of effective microbial treatment options before which the incidence of mastoiditis needing surgical treatment was around 25 to 50 percent.

What are the reasons behind the complications of suppurative otitis media?
The risk of complications related to chronic suppurative otitis media can surge when an acute episode of otitis media persists for over 2 weeks or in case the symptoms recur within 2 or 3 weeks. Even though there is the availability of adequate treatment, an approximate one-third of individuals who suffer from meningitis tend to develop permanent neurologic sequelae. They may also develop seizures and other behavioral disorders.

What are the signs and symptoms of chronic suppurative otitis media?
Fever accompanied by a headache is the most commonly observed manifestations of complications of the disease. The complications associated with otitis media include fetid otorrhea, lethargy, severe otalgia, vertigo and alterations in status changes. According to experts, a high index of suspicion is imperative for diagnosing the actual complication of otitis media. The complications are normally associated with chronic and subacute infections, but acute otitis media remains the most frequently manifested issue. When there is meningitis in the setting of acute suppurative otitis media, it may indicate anatomic abnormality like Mondini malformation. The intracranial and extracranial complications are unique to each individual, and therefore, it needs to be dealt with utmost precision and expertise. Imaging studies such as CT scanning, MRI, and electrical excitability tests are required for discerning the issues concerning the health issue.

When an individual is affected by chronic suppurative otitis media, it is crucial to consult with an expert who can not only treat the condition but help in fending off risks of complications and recurrence of the disease.