An ear infection (acute otitis media) is most often a bacterial or viral infection that affects the middle ear, the air-filled space behind the eardrum that contains the tiny vibrating bones of the ear. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.

If your child has an ear infection, he or she may have a fever and/ or ear pain. Ear infections are often painful because of inflammation and buildup of fluids behind the eardrum. Babies and small children might pull on or touch their ears, and cry a lot. Upper respiratory infections, or colds, can predispose your child to ear infections.

If you suspect an ear infection, please call us to schedule an appointment or come to our morning walk-in hours. It is not necessary to go to the emergency room unless you have other concerns. If it is the middle of the night, since ear infections can be very painful, we recommend controlling your child’s pain with Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Motrin (Ibuprofen) until he or she can be seen in our office in the morning. Please reference our dosing chart for how much of each medication to give your child, based on weight.