is often possible to tell when a small child has an ear infection. The child may have a fever, complain of pain, or if too young to verbalize, may pull at his ears and cry. He may also exhibit other obvious signs of illness such as crankiness, lethargy, or lack of appetite. However, some ear infections are “silent” and may thus go undetected. Ear infections are associated with a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum, and if this fluid contains bacteria, other signs of infection and general illness will usually accompany the infection. However, if the fluid does not contain bacteria, a decrease
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