Why Does My Child Get Recurrent Ear Infections? Is It a Sign of PI?

Ear infections are one of the most common illnesses, especially in children younger than 8. Watching your child struggle with repeated infections can be stressful and frustrating.

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In many cases, frequent ear infections are part of typical development. However, frequent and recurrent ear infections (those that keep coming back) can also be a sign of an underlying problem with your child’s health, such as primary immunodeficiency (PI). In PI, parts of the immune system are missing or don’t work the way they should. This makes it harder to fight off infections.

This article explains what causes ear infections and when it might be time to ask your pediatrician about testing for PI. Understanding the signs can help you feel more prepared to advocate for your child’s health.

What Is an Ear Infection?

An ear infection (also called acute otitis media) happens when the middle ear becomes inflamed, causing fluid buildup behind the eardrum (also called the tympanic membrane). The middle ear is the space behind the eardrum. It has tiny bones that carry sound to the inner ear, helping us hear.

The most common cause of inflammation in the middle ear is a bacterial infection.

Common symptoms of an ear infection include:

• Ear pain
• A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
• Fever
• Difficulty sleeping
• Hearing loss
• Fluid draining from the ear

Most ear infections are treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. Children typically start to feel better within a few days of beginning treatment.

Why Do Children Often Get Ear Infections?

Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections due to differences in their anatomy, immune system, and exposure to germs.

Eustachian Tube Differences

One important risk factor in children involves the eustachian tubes — the small tubes that connect the middle ear to the back of the throat. In children, the eustachian tubes are shorter, narrower, and more level. This makes it harder for fluid to drain from the ear, especially after an illness, such as an upper respiratory infection (like a cold or sinus infection). When fluid and mucus build up and block the tubes, it creates a space where bacteria can grow and cause an infection.

Exposure to Germs

Children are often around other kids in a child care setting, preschool, or playgroups, which increases their exposure to viruses and bacteria. They’re also less likely to wash their hands well and often put shared toys or objects in their mouths, making it easier for germs to spread. Young immune systems are still developing, so children may have a harder time fighting off these germs compared to adults. A cold or other respiratory illness can easily lead to an ear infection.

Adenoid Infections

Children also have adenoids (small lumps of tissue located behind the nose) that help fight infection. In adults, the adenoids usually shrink with age and are less likely to cause problems. In some children, bacteria can get trapped in the adenoids, causing chronic (long-lasting) infections. These infections can travel to the middle ear and lead to repeated ear infections.

Other Risk Factors

Several other factors may increase a child’s risk of ear infections, including:

• A family history of frequent ear infections
• Chronic illnesses such as asthma or cystic fibrosis
• Exposure to poor air quality or secondhand smoke

For all these reasons, it’s common for young children to have occasional ear infections, even if their immune systems are working normally.

When Are Recurrent Ear Infections a Sign of Primary Immunodeficiency?

Ear infections are very common in young children. Around 5 out of 6 children have at least one ear infection by the age of 3. Having a few ear infections — even in the same year — usually isn’t a cause for concern and doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem with your child’s immune system.

However, if your child has frequent, persistent, or unusually severe ear infections — especially along with other health concerns — it may be worth asking your doctor whether their immune system is functioning properly. Some parents describe a pattern of infections that doesn’t get better with usual treatments.

“My daughter is 4, and for the last year, she’s constantly been in poor health,” a member of MyAutismTeam, a social network, reported. “She’s had an ear infection every two weeks for about four months now and gets tonsillitis every month. She’s had endless antibiotics, and it keeps coming back.”

Having four or more new ear infections in the same year could be a potential warning sign of PI. However, frequent or chronic ear infections alone aren’t enough to diagnose PI. Doctors usually look for a pattern of multiple signs or symptoms that suggest the immune system may not be working as it should.

Your child’s doctor may suspect primary immunodeficiency if frequent ear infections happen alongside one or more of the following warning signs:

• Two or more sinus infections in one year
• Two or more months on antibiotics without improvement
• Two or more episodes of pneumonia in one year
• Poor growth and weight gain in infants (also known as “failure to thrive”)
• Recurrent skin infections
• Needing intravenous (IV) antibiotics to treat an infection
• Thrush (a fungal infection) in the mouth or skin
• Two or more deep-seated infections (such as septicemia, a blood infection)
• A family history of PI

When Should You Talk to a Pediatrician About Primary Immunodeficiency?

If your child has four or more ear infections per year, it’s a good idea to bring it up with their pediatrician. This is especially true if the infections are severe, hard to treat, or keep coming back.

You don’t need to wait until there’s a clear pattern to start a conversation. If something doesn’t feel right, talk to your child’s pediatrician. Primary immunodeficiency can sometimes be overlooked because symptoms like frequent ear infections are common in children with healthy immune systems. A pediatrician can help you track infections over time, review other symptoms, and decide whether additional testing is needed. Overall, the earlier PI can be diagnosed, the better the chances for effective treatment.

It’s important to remember having frequent ear infections doesn’t automatically mean a child has PI. Doctors don’t find a significant cause of recurrent infections in about half of children who get additional testing.

While ear infections are most common in young children, they can sometimes affect older kids and even adults, especially if there’s an underlying immune issue.

“Eventually my son went to the doctor, and he had an ear infection at 29 years old — and bronchitis,” shared a member of MyEpilepsyTeam, another social network.

If your child or you are experiencing frequent infections at any age, it’s worth discussing with a healthcare provider.

How Do Doctors Test for Primary Immunodeficiency?

If your child’s pediatrician thinks there may be a problem with their immune system, you may be referred to a specialist called an immunologist for further testing. An immunologist is a doctor with special training in diagnosing and treating immune system disorders.

The first step is usually a thorough review of your child’s medical and family history, followed by a physical exam to check their overall health and look for signs of infection.

Doctors often start with blood tests to measure the levels of key immune cells and antibodies (infection-fighting proteins). Unusually high or low levels may suggest the immune system isn’t working as it should. Your child may also receive a vaccine as part of testing. By checking blood samples before and after vaccination, doctors can see how well the immune system responds.

In some cases, genetic testing may be recommended. These tests look for genetic mutations (changes) associated with PI. Identifying a genetic cause can help confirm a diagnosis, guide treatment, and provide helpful information about whether other family members could also be affected by PI.

Preventing Future Ear Infections

Preventing infections is an important part of managing primary immunodeficiency. Even in children without PI, a few simple steps can help reduce the chances of future ear infections.

Ways to reduce your child’s risk of ear infections include the following:

• Stay up to date on vaccines, including the pneumococcal vaccine and a yearly flu shot.
• Teach proper hand-washing habits — and make it a regular routine.
• Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Hold babies upright during bottle-feeding to help keep fluid from building up in the ears.
• Breastfeed for the first six to 12 months, if possible.
• Keep children home or limit close contact when others are sick.

These steps may not prevent every ear infection, but they can help lower the risk. Your child’s healthcare provider can help you decide which preventive strategies are most appropriate for your family.

Find Your Team

On myPIteam, people come together to learn more about life with primary immunodeficiency disorders.

Does your child get recurrent ear infections? What triggered your pediatrician to test for PI? Share your experience in the comments below.