Question

The parents of an 18-month-old toddler are anxious to know why their child has experienced several episodes of acute otitis media. What should the nurse explain to the parents about why toddlers are prone to middle ear infections?

1) Immunologic differences between adults and young children
2) Structural differences between eustachian tubes of younger and older children
3) Functional differences between eustachian tubes of younger and older children
4) Circumference differences between middle ear cavity size of adults and young children

Answer 1

Toddlers are more prone to acute otitis media because of the structural differences in their eustachian tubes that are shorter and drain at a shallower angle compared to adults, facilitating fluid accumulation in the middle ear that can lead to infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

The parents of an 18-month-old toddler experiencing several episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) should understand that toddlers are prone to these infections due to structural differences between the eustachian tubes of younger and older children. Unlike adults, children have eustachian tubes that are shorter and drain at a shallower angle, which together with their frequent upper respiratory infections and behaviors such as lying down more often, contribute to the accumulation of fluid in the middle ear that can lead to infection. Bottle feeding while lying down can exacerbate the risk, as the sucking action on the bottle creates negative pressure within the eustachian tube, promoting the movement of fluids and bacteria into the middle ear and setting the stage for AOM.