are baby boys more susceptible to ear infections?
Kids are prone to developing ear infections in the first 2 to 4 years of life for several reasons: 1  Their eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal than those of adults, which lets bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily. Babies and young children are particularly susceptible to ear infections because they have short (about 1/2 inch), horizontal eustachian tubes. As children grow to adulthood, their tubes triple in length and become more vertical, so fluid can drain more easily. Call at the first sign of an ear infection. How to tell if your baby has an ear infection. The easiest way to tell if your baby might have an ear infection (or any other illness, for that matter) is by observing a change in his mood. If your baby turns fussy, or starts crying more than usual, be on the lookout for a problem. If he develops a fever (whether slight or high) you have another big clue. Ear tugging is not a reliable sign, but ear infections are painful, so your child's tears or increased irritability may be a symptom. Also, if your baby becomes more upset when she's lying down, an ear infection may be to blame, because that position puts pressure on the eustachian tubes. Other indicators of an ear infection can include difficulty sleeping, diminished appetite, vomiting, or diarrhea. A warm, moist towel applied to your child's face near the ear can also help. With an older child, you can use a heating pad, but be cautious: Put it on the lowest setting, wrap it in an additional towel or receiving blanket, and keep it away from water. Never use a heating pad on a baby. Babies are particularly susceptible to ear infections because they have short (about 1/2 inch), horizontal eustachian tubes. As children grow to adulthood, their tubes triple in length and become more vertical, so fluid can drain more easily. It's getting worse.' Plus, they're more prone to complications from ear infections, such as hearing loss or other rarer problems.. or kids older than 2, watchful waiting is an option if the symptoms are mild and if the doctor is uncertain that the child has an ear infection. Boys develop ear infections more often than girls, as do kids with a family history of ear infections. They're also more common during the winter season, when lots of people get upper respiratory tract infections or colds. I can always tell when one of my kids has an earache, says Dover, of Carmichael, CA. That child cries all night.. It's a cry that most parents of young children quickly learn to interpret: Next to colds, middle-ear infections (called otitis media) are the most frequently cited reason for visits to the doctor. Seventy-one percent of children have at least one incident by the age of 3, and 46 percent have at least three. In some cases, otitis media can be more chronic (with fluid in the middle ear for 6 weeks or longer) or, in otitis media with effusion, fluid in the middle ear can be temporary and not necessarily infected. Doctors try to distinguish between the different forms of otitis because this affects treatment options.
Yes, baby are boys more susceptible to ear infections.