What do I do about my child’s ear infection?

As any parent can attest, ear infections are very common in kids. In fact, 80% will have at least one ear infection (otitis media) before reaching adulthood. But just because it's common doesn't mean it's easy for a child (or their parent) to endure. In this episode, host Dr. Jennifer Arnold discusses ear infections with Dr. Eliot Shearer, a physician at Boston Children's Department of Otolaryngology and Communication Enhancement, which provides comprehensive care for ear, nose, and throat disorders.

Together, they share advice for families and answer questions such as:

• What are the signs and symptoms of an ear infection?
• What’s the difference between an earache and an ear infection?
• What are the different kinds of ear infections?
• Are some people predisposed to having ear infections?
• How are ear infections treated — do they ever go away without treatment?
• What can parents do to help decrease the risk of their kids getting ear infections?
• What are chronic ear infections, and how are they treated?
• What are the risks of not treating chronic ear infections?

If your child has frequent ear infections, please make sure that you take the time to discuss them with your pediatrician. You may want to consider further action, such as meeting with an otolaryngologist like Dr. Shearer to discuss treatment options.