Signs and symptoms
... Ear infections often affect children who are too young to describe how they feel. In addition, some of the signs of an ear infection, such as fever and sleeplessness, can be the result of many other m...

Causes
... Your middle ear is a pea-sized chamber behind your eardrum (tympanic membrane) — a small circle of tissue that vibrates in response to sounds. It contains three tiny bones (ossicles) that send v...

Risk factors
... All children are susceptible to ear infections, but some children are more likely to get them than are others. Children most at risk include: Boys Children attending child-care centers Children whose ...

When to seek medical advice
... If your child complains of an earache or pressure in the ear that lasts longer than a day or is associated with a fever, call your doctor. Also, see your doctor as soon as possible if you see a discha...

Screening and diagnosis
... Middle ear infections are sometimes difficult to diagnose. Your doctor can usually detect fluid in your child''s middle ear. But there''s no way to be sure the fluid is infected or if an infection is ...