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Effects of Multiple Ear Infections

An ear infection, also known as otitis media, is an inflammation of the middle ear. Infections are caused by blockage of the Eustachian tube, which normally keeps the middle ear clear of fluid. Since children have smaller Eustachian tubes than adults, their tubes are more prone to become blocked. Chronic ear infections can lead to several problems down the road.

  1. Risk for Asthma

    • Bio-Medicine.org reports that children with chronic ear infections are more than twice as likely to develop asthma as those without multiple ear infections. While the exact cause is not known, research indicates that certain viruses or bacteria connected with chronic ear infections can lead to asthma. Also, certain antibiotics used to cure ear infections may enhance the odds for asthma

    Short-Term Memory Problems

    • Chronic ear infections affect short-term memory. Short-term memory is the brain's capacity to piece strings of information together long enough to comprehend it and react to it. As many ear infections can cause problems hearing, someone will spend a great deal of effort trying to process spoken words that they will not be able to make any sense out of it.

    Language Issues

    • Numerous ear infections can lead to problems with a child's ability to process language. Children may develop difficulty understanding certain sounds, resulting in speech problems. A youngster with chronic ear infections will often hear sounds as garbled. Also, a child will spend a great deal of time trying to process sounds and their brain cannot handle it causing the child to seem as if he is not paying attention. With trouble processing language, a child can misconstrue something that was said leading her to respond incorrectly.

    Congestion Problems

    • With chronic ear infections, a child spends a great deal of time feeling congested. To combat this, children oftentimes will become prone to breathing through their mouths. The Children's Academy for Neurodevelopment and Learning states mouth breathing is an "insufficient" manner of breathing because the lungs do not receive enough oxygen. This causes the brain and diaphragm to also receive less oxygen resulting in a person not having enough energy for physical activity. It can also lead to poor posture.

    Mastoiditis

    • Chronic ear infections can lead to a condition called mastoiditis. Mastoiditis is an inflammation of the mastoid bone, which is located behind the ear. The mastoid is made up of air cells that empty the middle ear. With mastoiditis, the air cells are infected. Mastoiditis is brought on by recurrent ear infections and oftentimes require surgery to drain the fluid. If the infection persists, it can lead to meningitis and even a brain abscess.

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