Ear Aches Could Lead To Learning Disabilities In Kids

Ear aches.

The two words are enough to make a mom wince in pain, sympathizing with the discomfort their children have at a young age.

Just about every kid goes through a phase where they complain of ear pain. But according to a new study, that common infection can create a host of other problems – including potentially leaving them big disadvantages when they attend classes.  

According to the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, kids that experience chronic ear infections may be at an increased risk to develop learning problems during their school and adult life.

The study found that four out of ten Canadian children with learning disabilities at age 7 had been prone to ear infections and allergies at age 3.

The conclusions are frightening, showing fully two thirds of those diagnosed with a learning handicap are more likely to become high school dropouts and that nearly half can’t hold down full time jobs. 

And at least a third of all parents admit they simply can’t afford the special instruction or treatment needed to get their kids over the hump.

Adrienne Coulson knows the symptoms only too well. Her young son has already had ten separate ear infections.

“Super cranky, I guess besides the fever,” she says of his mood. “That was an automatic indicator every time he had a fever. Like oh, here we go again.”

Her doctors have assured her she’s not to blame for the problem.

“‘Oh, my God. What did I do?,'” she wondered as her baby kept crying. “Of course it’s nothing that you did. Babies just get them I guess.”

She’s one of the lucky ones. Her child has normal hearing. But she knows it could just as easily have gone the other way.

The study authors maintain mandatory early screening is the key, and that the government must do more to fund it to help families that already find themselves in dire straits.

To read the study’s conclusions, click here.

Here’s a primer on what to watch for and how to treat ear aches in your kids.

The Cause

When kids ears are still developing, they’re more prone to eustachian tube blockages, which prevents fluid from draining out. That fluid can cause an infection that leads to pressure, causing their pain. 

Stats show kids generally have at least one problem like this before their third birthday. Half will experience three or more such attacks by then.

Some clear up in a week. Others last longer and may require medical attention. If fluid remains in the middle ear, your child could get new infections – and maybe even suffer hearing loss.

The symptoms

• Ear Pain, especially when lying on the side where the infection is
• Fever,
• “Fullness in the ear”,
• Trouble hearing,
• Puss or blood from the ear,
• Crankiness,
• Crying.

Some or all of those could be present, but there may also be no evidence of it at all.

Increased risks

• Being around second-hand smoke,
• Having had ear infections before, mostly if these were before the child’s first birthday,
• History of ear infections,
• Being bottle-fed instead of breastfed,
• Day care,
• Being premature or having had a low birth weight,
• Being a boy (boys tend to have more middle ear infections than girls).

Treatment

• Pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Children’s Advil or Motrin). Don’t give a youngster aspirin.
• A warm compress held over the ear
• Antibiotic drops if the eardrum bursts and if a doctor recommends it
• Ear tubes to drain the fluid

Courtesy: Ont. College Physicians and Surgeons