If bacteria grow in the middle ear fluid, an effusion can turn into a middle ear infection (acute otitis media). This will usually increase pressure ...EspañolVisitTheSymptomCheckerReadMoreDepressioninChildrenandTeensReadMoreBMICalculatorConditionOtitisMedia(withEffusion)SharePrintTableofContents1.Overview2.Symptoms3.Causes4.Diagnosis5.Prevention6.Treatment7.EverydayLife8.Questions9.ResourcesOverviewWhatisotitismediawitheffusion?Otitismediaisa generic termthatreferstoan inflammation ofthemiddleear.Themiddleearisthespacebehindtheeardrum.Otitismediawith effusion meansthereisfluid(effusion)inthemiddleear,withoutaninfection.Fluidinthemiddleearcanhavefewsymptoms,especiallyifitdevelopsslowly.Italmostalwaysgoesawayonitsowninafewweekstoafewmonths.So,thiskindofearproblemdoesn’tusuallyneedtobetreatedwithantibiotics.Yourdoctormaydecidetotreatitifitcausesapainful infection orifthefluiddoesn’tgoaway.Otitismediawitheffusionismostcommoninyoungchildren,age2andunder.Butitcanaffectpeopleofanyage.SymptomsChildrenwhohaveotitismediawitheffusionmaynothaveanysymptoms.Usuallytheydon’tactsick.Theycouldexperiencethefollowing:Afeelingoffullnessintheear.Muffledhearing.Fluidthatdrainsfromtheears(ifthe eardrum hasruptured).Somepaininsidetheear(ifyourchildistooyoungtospeakandtellyouhisorherearhurts,heorshemaytugattheearoften).Ifyourchild’sotitismediawitheffusiondevelopsintoaninfection,heorshemayhaveothersymptoms.Theseinclude:Painintheear(cryingorpullingattheearforveryyoungchildren).Fever.Irritability.Listlessness.Troublehearing.Notfeelinglikeeatingorsleeping.Causes&RiskFactorsTheEustachiantubeconnectsthemiddleearwiththebackofthethroat.Normally,thistubeletsfluiddrainoutofthemiddleear.ButsometimestheEustachiantubeswells.Itcanbecomepartiallyorcompletelyblocked.Thiscancausefluidtobuildupinthemiddleear.ThefollowingmaycausetheEustachiantubetoswell:Allergies.Irritants,suchascigarettesmoke.Respiratoryinfections.Enlargedadenoids(glandsneartheear).Drinkingwhilelyingontheback(bottle-fedbabies).Asuddenincrea