Your child might feel a “popping” in the ears as the infection starts to clear up. This is a sign of healing.
Children with ear infections don't need to stay home if they feel OK. Just make sure your child keeps taking any medicine he or she needs.
How Your Child Can Get an Ear Infection
The ear has 3 parts—the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. A small tube, called the middle ear tube, connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. It's called the eustachian tube (yoo-STAY-shin toob). This tube can get blocked when a child is sick. Then fluid builds up in the middle ear. If germs get into the fluid, it can cause an infection. The inside of the ear may swell up and hurt.