Who is most likely to get middle ear infections?
Middle ear infection is more common in children and is the most prevalent childhood illness other than a cold. Ear infections occur most commonly between age 3 months and 3 years and are common until age 8. One-fourth of all children will have repeated ear infections, and five to ten percent will develop a hole on the eardrum from fluid pressure. This hole usually heals in one week. For many reasons, children usually get more ear infections than adults. First, they usually get more colds and respiratory infections than adults. Second, the Eustachian tube is shorter and has less of a slope in children than in adults. Other contributing factors for middle ear infections include the following: • Age: Infants and young children are more susceptible to ear infections. • Sex: Boys tend to get ear infections more often than girls. • Heredity: The tendency to get ear infections can be hereditary (runs in the family). • Colds: Having colds often increases the chances of getting an ear infection
