Why are young children especially prone to ear infections?
Ear infections are common from the age of six months. Babies have some protection against infections in the first few weeks of life thanks to the antibodies that cross the placenta before birth. This naturally acquired immunity can be boosted by extra antibodies in breast milk but from around the age of six months, these antibodies will begin to wane, leaving a baby more susceptible to infections. The Eustachian tubes, the tubes that connect the ears to the back of the nose and help to equalise pressure, in children are less effective than in adults. They are shorter and more horizontal so that viruses and bacteria can pass more easily from the nose to the ears. What sort of infections are there? The most common ear infection in children is otitis media, which means infection of the middle ear. It is often secondary to an upper respiratory tract infection such as a cold. This can lead to glue ear, which is basically sticky fluid that collects inside the middle ear, and can affect heari
