What may increase your child's risk for problems from an ear infection?

Many conditions, medicines, and diseases interfere with the ability to heal or fight infection. Your child may be at risk for a more serious problem from his or her symptoms if he or she has any of the following. Be sure to tell your child's health professional.

Conditions

• Abnormally slow growth and development
• Babies younger than age 3 months
• A congenital defect (such as cleft palate) that increases the risk for ear infection
• Ear tubes in place
• Exposure to smoke, dust, or fumes
• Living with smokers or regularly exposed to secondhand smoke
• Premature birth

Medicines

• Antibiotics, such as sulfa or amoxicillin
• Corticosteroid treatment, such as prednisone
• Medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicine used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• A chronic health problem, such as hearing loss, that may be made worse by an ear infection
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Down syndrome
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Malnutrition
• Sickle cell disease