Ear problems Dr Trisha Macnair Most young children have problems with their ears. Common ones are earache, usually as a result of infection, and hearing problems that can lead to speech and learning difficulties.

In this article

What causes them? Who's affected?

What are the symptoms? What's the treatment?

The most common cause of earache is a viral (or sometimes bacterial) infection, often as a complication of a respiratory tract infection. This results in an inflammation of the middle ear called otitis media, which can progress to a chronic condition called glue ear, where the middle ear fills with sticky fluid.

These infections can result in hearing problems.

However, there are many other causes for hearing loss in children, including genetic problems, congenital abnormalities, maternal infections during pregnancy and meningitis or head injury in childhood.

Inflammation of the outer ear, known as otitis externa, may be due to infection, dermatitis, eczema or foreign bodies in the ear.

Earwax is rarely a problem in children.

Otitis media tends to affect children up to the age of about eight, with 20 per cent of children under four having at least one incident a year.

Hearing loss may be detected at any time from birth, when all newborns are screened, through to later in childhood if there is suspicion of problems.

The main symptoms of otitis media are pain and fever. Small children may be unable to describe pain, but are generally irritable and may point at or pull the affected ear.

Discharge from the ear suggests the ear drum has burst, especially if there is relief of pain. It may also be a sign of otitis externa. Glue ear can cause hearing loss and learning difficulties.

Hearing loss may go unnoticed in small babies and older children, too, but carers may become aware of a failure to react to sounds or voices.

Relieve earache with simple painkillers.

See your doctor if you suspect infection - otitis media is diagnosed by looking inside the ear using an instrument called an auriscope.

Antibiotics may be given, but most cases of acute otitis media clear up within a few days without treatment.

Glue ear may require surgery to insert a tiny drainage tube called a grommet.

Hearing loss should be thoroughly assessed by an expert, using a variety of tests, so appropriate treatment and support can be given.

See your GP if you have any concerns about your child's ears or hearing.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in February 2008