Causes of Acute Otitis Media
The tube connecting the back of the throat to the middle of the ear is known as the eustachian tube. When your child’s eustachian tube swells or is obstructed, fluid is trapped in the middle ear and causes an AOM. The fluid that is confined could get sick. The eustachian tube is shorter and more horizontal in early children than it is in older kids and adults. It is more prone to get an infection as a result.
There are a number of issues that causes the eustachian tube swelling or obstruction, including:
- allergy, cold, or flu
- a swollen or diseased adenoid
- sinus infection [2]
- infants drinking while lying down
- smoking cigarettes