These are Acute Otitis media which is the sudden but temporary onset of infection, recurrent acute Otitis media which are infections that keep on occurring on a regular basis and chronic Otitis medina with effusion which is the build up of a sticky fluid like substance and is sometimes called glue ear.

Facts about Middle Ear Infections

* By the time a child is 3 years of age half of all children will have suffered from at least one ear infection.

* A child will be more susceptible to having recurrent infections the earlier they suffer from their first ear infection.

* Bottle fed babies are more prone to ear infections than breast fed babies.

* Smoking in the home around your children leaves them more susceptible to ear infections.

* If your child hasn't had an ear infection by the time they are 5 years of age then their chances of not having one increase.

* Boys more than girls are particularly prone to ear infections.

* Children attending day care centres are more prone to catching ear infections than those in the home environment.

* The winter months are the time when most ear infections occur.

* If other family members have been susceptible to ear infections then the chances increase for your child.

* American Indians, Alaskan and Canadian Eskimos and Australian Aborigines are more susceptible to ear infections.

Symptoms of Inner Ear Infection

At the onset of inner ear infection your child will most commonly have had a cold and be suffering from a runny nose, sore throat and quite often a cough, it is within a few days of this that the first signs of an ear infection can present itself.

The child may become restless and develop a fever of between a 100 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The child will not be able to sleep very well and the ear affected may take on a reddish colour, this is mainly due to persistent tugging of the ear through pain.

A Doctor's advice should always be sought if you think your child may have an ear infection and this can be confirmed by an examination, during which the Doctor will see redness of the eardrum, fluid behind the eardrum, bulging of the eardrum or a clear us like substance in the ear canal usually indicating a ruptured eardrum.

Treatment for Inner Ear Infection

The most common treatment used in the case of ear infections is a course of antibiotics such as Amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate which is a form of penicillin. It is given in a course which will usually last for 10 days and it is very important that your child takes all the medicine.