What would cause an ear infection in newborn :(

Question

My 7 week old baby has an ear infection and the doctor said it was very uncommon for babies this age to get one. He wouldn’t say much else but is testing her blood for white blood cell count. Can anyone provide insight on what he’s looking for or what may have caused this :( she’s on antibiotics for 10 days

Answer

We all have a tube in our ears called a Eustachian tube. In adults this tube is normally more angled downward to allow for easier drainage of fluids. Yet in children it is more straight which causes more difficulty draining fluid and leads to bacteria from the throat to travel laterally to the middle ear causing infection.

Answer

Make sure you are elevating her head when feeding. Lying flat causes fluid to pool in their ears. Water could have gotten in them during a bath too.

Answer

My brother and I were born with ear infections. If anything gets in the ear, it could get infected. Not a big deal.

Answer

I’m surprised he said it’s uncommon. Ear infections are caused by how our ears process fluid, which is why ear infections are common in children. Maybe not 7 weeks, but my son had tons of ear wax when he was a baby almost flowing out of his ears. I think his first infection was more 6 months and then more after.

What would cause an ear infection in newborn :(

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey