Topic Overview
Fluid may remain in the middle ear (serous otitis, or middle ear
effusion) after your child has an ear infection. This may not cause symptoms,
or it may cause a muffling of sound, decreased hearing, and mild discomfort.
The body usually reabsorbs fluid behind the eardrum within 2 to 4 months, and
hearing returns to normal.
It may be hard to tell if a child has a hearing problem, especially
children age 3 and younger. The following may help you check your child's
hearing at age:
Your child may have a hearing problem if he or she is not responding
to voices or sounds as well as in the past and other symptoms of a cold or ear
infection have gotten better or gone away.