Anyone who has ever parented small children knows they are prone to ear infections. Ear infections are the most common illness among infants and young children, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which estimates that three of every four kids develops an ear infection before age 4.
A vaccine called Prevnar 13 can prevent certain strains of pneumococcal bacteria, which is a common cause of ear infections, pneumonia and meningitis. Prevnar shots are normally given during a child’s first year of life. Research conducted at Children's Hospital Boston found that millions of cases of ear infections could be prevented through vaccination with Prevnar 13. Parents should discuss vaccination with their child’s pediatrician.
In cases where an ear infection has developed, treatment guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Otolaryngology encourage an "observation option." That means that children 2 years and older who are otherwise healthy can be observed for a short period of time before being given antibiotics. Studies have shown that many children recover well without taking antibiotics. The guidelines are aimed at concerns about resistance to antibiotics that can develop from overuse. What’s more, a study reported in the British journal BMJ in July 2009 found that ear infections come back more often in kids who have been treated with antibiotics. In the three years after being treated for an ear infection, 63 percent of the kids who were given the antibiotic amoxicillin had recurrent ear infections, compared with 43 percent of those not treated with an antibiotic.
Most kids outgrow ear infections after they turn 5 years old. If your child has an ear infection, you should call your child's physician if your child is not getting better in two to three days, has a high fever and/or develops any additional symptoms such as a persistent cough or stops eating and drinking.
Medical research continues to make strides in treating and preventing ear infections. If this is a recurrent problem for your child, be sure to discuss this concern with a pediatrician or ear physician.