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Receiving an ear infection (technical term: otitis media) diagnosis from your pediatrician is practically a parental right of passage. Thanks to your baby's tinier anatomy -- specifically, her shorter Eustachian tube, which drains fluid from the middle ear -- she is prone to infections. Fortunately, they rarely do lasting damage, and they're fairly easy to treat.

Diagnosing an Ear Infection

How can you tell if your baby has an ear infection? You can't! Though some parents think ear-pulling is a tell-tale sign, it's not -- babies often play with their ears. A better indicator is a cold that gets worse -- your baby gets extremely fussy, develops a fever, or doesn't want to lie down.Even that, though, isn't enough for you to diagnos it yourself. If you suspect your baby has an ear infection, have him evaluated by your pediatrician.

Prevention Tips

You can practice some ear-infection prevention by breastfeeding as long as you can. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration showed that babies who are breastfed for the first six months are less likely to develop ear infections than formula-fed babies.

You might also ask your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine (Prevnar). A 2006 study at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, showed that children under age 2 have suffered 20% fewer ear infections since Prevnar became routine (pneumococcal bacteria cause up to half of all ear infections).

Treating an Ear Infection

One of the most common treatments for ear infections is amoxicillin, also known as "the pink stuff" or "the bubble gum" medicine. Good news: it tastes good to most kids, and will work quickly enough to have your little one feeling better in a day or two -- though you should always finish the whole prescription, or you'll risk an infection returning.

Your pediatrician may suggest a different antibiotic if pain and fever persist after several days of treatment, or if amoxicillin hasn't worked before.

Keep in mind that different antibiotics treat different bacteria, so the decision about which to use depends on what's causing the infection.

Safety Notes

• Though most ear infections are not serious, chronic infections may leave fluid in the middle ear, which in turn may lead to hearing loss (and speech problems). If you're worried about this, ask your pediatrician.
• You may be tempted not to use antibiotics, especially if you're worried about antibiotic resistance. While it's true that ear infections can clear up on their own, do not make this decision without talking to your doctor first. Leaving an ear infection untreated or partially treated is a bigger risk to your child , especially if she's an infant, than antibiotic resistance.