This time of year, colds, congestion and ear infections are all too common. Dr. Jerome Thompson, pediatric otolaryngologist with Le Bonheur Children’s, answers some of parents’ most common questions about ear infections below.

What causes an ear infection?
An ear infection – which produces symptoms like ear pain, drainage and fever – is caused by a virus or bacteria. In many cases of infection, the Eustachian tube (the pathway connecting the middle ear to the back of the nose) fails to balance the pressure between the nose and outside world, creating a vacuum in the middle ear where fluid builds up and bacteria grows.

Are infants more prone to ear infections?
Infants’ Eustachian tubes are in line with the nose and not slanted upwards like adults’ are, so nasal congestion is more likely to flow into the tubes causing infection.

How do I know if my child has an ear infection?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), symptoms often include the following:

• More crying than usual, especially when lying down
• Trouble sleeping or hearing
• Fever or headache
• Fluid coming out of the ears

How should an ear infection be treated?
Many ear infections are caused by a virus, rather than bacteria, so antibiotics won’t be effective with those cases. According to the AAP, ear infections usually resolve on their own within 10 days or so.  A trip to the doctor’s office can be worth it though, as doctors can prescribe numbing drops and suggest over-the-counter pain relievers to treat symptoms.

However, if your child has had more than four or five ear infections one year, he or she might need tube placement to help drain the fluid.

This time of year, sore throats are a common occurrence in children. We asked Pediatric Otolaryngologist Jerome Thompson, MD, what parents need to know about this symptom.

“Ninety percent of sore throats are viral and require no antibiotics,” said Thompson. Kids will usually recover from the virus within seven to 10 days.

However, if your child has strep throat, it needs to be treated. Common signs of strep throat include a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, a severe strep throat and swollen tonsils with white patches on them, according to Thompson. Symptoms of strep can present differently depending on the child’s age. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), infants may have only a low fever and a thickened or bloody nasal discharge.

“A missed strep throat can cause kidney or heart illnesses,” said Thompson.  If your child shows any of the symptoms of strep, make sure he or she is seen by a pediatrician.

To determine whether or not your child’s sore throat is a strep infection, doctors will perform a throat culture, using a cotton applicator to collect bacteria from the back of the throat and tonsils. Results are generally known within 24 hours. A prescribed antibiotic can treat a strep infection.

Other common causes of a sore throat include tonsillitis (swollen tonsils) and mononucleosis, which usually occurs in people ages 15 to 30.

The AAP says that most throat infections are contagious, so make sure your child stays award from people with symptoms of one, and if your child has a throat infection, keep him or her home. As always, hand washing is a great way to prevent the spread of infection.