Middle Ear Infection

There are two types of middle ear infections:

• Acute otitis media (AOM):  Infected and mucus become trapped inside the ear. This leads to a fever, ear pain and hearing loss.
• Otitis media with effusion (OME): Fluid (effusion) and mucus remain in the middle ear after an initial infection goes away. The child may have a feeling of fullness in the ear and hearing loss.
• Ear canal infection: Infections of the ear canal are known as otitis externa. These infections can be very painful. Ear drainage and fevers may occur. Swimming and q-tip use are common reasons for this type of ear infection.

Mastoiditis Inflammation/Infection

An inflammation or infection of the mastoid bone, a bone behind the ear. These normally happen after a middle ear infection isn’t taken care of. It can be serious if not treated right away.

Middle ear infections are normally treated with antibiotics. If ear infections with effusion don’t go away, your child may be a candidate for ear tubes.

If your child has mastoiditis, they usually need to be admitted to the hospital and seen by an ear, nose and throat specialist. Your child, in most cases, will receive antibiotics through an intravenous (IV) catheter. Surgery is sometimes needed to help drain the fluid from the mastoid and middle ear.

Large, multidisciplinary team: We have more than a dozen board-certified specialists who provide comprehensive pediatric ENT care at multiple locations. Our physicians participate and lead in many specialized multidisciplinary programs at Children’s Wisconsin.