1. What is otitis media? The area outside the eardrum is called the outer ear, while the part of the ear canal and the area inside the eardrum is called the middle ear. Otitis media is usually caused by inflammation of the inner eardrum. The Eustachian tube is connected to the pharynx, and otitis media can occur when a cold is followed by a bacterial infection, or when the eustachian tube is blocked due to adenoid hypertrophy, etc. 2. Why do babies get otitis media? This is mainly related to the anatomical characteristics of the baby’s ear. Compared with adults, the eustachian tube of babies is horizontal, wide, straight and short, so when babies have upper respiratory tract infections, bacteria or viruses from the nasopharynx can easily invade the middle ear through the eustachian tube, causing acute suppurative otitis media. 3. What are the symptoms of otitis media? Babies often feel a throbbing or stinging pain in their ears, which worsens when they suck, swallow and cough. Older babies will say that their ears hurt, but infants and toddlers often show irritability, crying, restless sleep at night, shaking their heads or rubbing their ears with their hands because they cannot express themselves. Babies with otitis media often refuse to take milk because the earache worsens when sucking and swallowing. Otitis media is often accompanied by fever, chills, vomiting and diarrhea. 4. Is otitis media serious? Sixty-five percent of babies suffer at least one ear infection or other hearing organ disease in the first year of life. If the infected baby is not treated promptly, it may lead to deafness or even life-threatening conditions. It should be especially noted that a child may lose some of his or her hearing if the fluid exuded from the ear remains for up to 3 months. Therefore, parents should take their babies for active treatment without delay, regardless of whether it is acute or chronic otitis media. In addition, recurrent acute otitis media may also be related to abnormal immune function, so it is best to go to a regular otolaryngology department to confirm the diagnosis. 5.How can otitis media be prevented? (1) Pay attention to rest: ensure sleep time and sleep quality, and insist on exercising to strengthen the body’s resistance. (2) Preventing colds: Preventing colds is the basis for preventing otitis media, and if you inadvertently catch a cold, you should treat it promptly. During a cold, the secretions in the nasal cavity will increase. At this time, you should not use your hands to pinch your nostrils and blow your nose, because this can increase the pressure in the nose and pharynx, so that the nasal mucus and bacteria can enter the middle ear through the Eustachian tube and infect the middle ear with otitis media. You can use ear canal cleaning solution to prevent otitis media. (3) Pay attention to ear hygiene and keep your ears dry when swimming: Choose a clean pool when swimming and do not swim in dirty waters. If water inadvertently flows into your ears, blow dry your ears promptly and pull your outer ear upward and outward to straighten the ear canal. Keep the hair dryer 5-10 cm away from the ear and blow into the ear. Blow with warm or cold air for 30 seconds. This will eliminate the warm and humid environment for bacteria and mold to grow. Another thing is to use ear canal cleaning solution to clean the ear canal. (4) Nasal and nasopharyngeal diseases should be dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner: the hypertrophic proliferators in children should be treated early. When you get acute infectious diseases such as measles, pay more attention to the cleanliness of the oral and nasal cavities to prevent otitis media. For prevention of otitis media, use ear canal cleaning solution. (5) Diet should be light, easy to digest and nutritious: you should eat more fresh vegetables and fruits and not eat spicy and stimulating foods such as wine, onion and garlic to prevent internal attack by heat toxins. Usually, you should also eat a little more food to clear the fire and defeat the poison, such as honeysuckle dew and mung bean soup. (6) When bathing or washing the child’s hair, try to avoid the flow of sewage into the ear. (7) When breastfeeding your child, avoid choking and coughing because of the large hole in the pacifier, which can cause milk to flow up through the eustachian tube and cause middle ear infection. (8) When digging your child’s ears, be gentle to avoid damaging the mucous membrane of the skin inside the ear and causing infection! It is best to use ear canal cleaning solution for professional care, which is scientifically safe and healthy. (9) When your child has a cold, pay special attention to whether there are any abnormalities in the ear, especially for children who have had otitis media.