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<div class="HwContainer HwElement" id="HwContainer"><a class="HwMainSkipNavigation" href="#HwContentTitle"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Skip Navigation</span></a><div class="HwBlock" id="HwMain" role="main"><div class="HwRow"><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnSidebar1"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomSidebar"> </div></div><div class="HwColumn" id="HwColumnContent"><div id="HwContentTop"> </div><div class="HwTypeFocus HwContentWrapper HwElement" role="article" id="HwContentWrapper"><div class="HwCustom" id="HwCustomContentTop"> </div><div class="HwContentHeader"><p><a name="top" id="Hwtop"><span class="HwAccessibilityText">Top of the page</span></a> </p></div><div class="HwContentTitle"><h1 id="HwContentTitle" tabindex="-1">Complications of Ear Infections</h1></div><div class="HwContentTopNavigation"> </div><div class="HwContent"><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionSpecialSection" id="sec-hw182912-sec"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" fingerprint="b4cb0a40" fingerprint-exact="e7c3d1bb">Overview</h2> <p fingerprint="f407d219" fingerprint-exact="9998aece">Complications from <a class="HwLinkDefinition" data-hw-type="Definition" data-hw-document-href="ste139568" data-hw-section="ste139568-sec" rel="Definition" hw:document-type="Definition" hw:document-href="ste139568" data-hwid="ste139568" hw:section-href="ste139568-sec" href="?id=ste139568#ste139568-sec"><span class="HwLinkText">ear infections</span></a> are rare. But some problems that can occur include:</p> <ul fingerprint="b95bd12e" fingerprint-exact="53234fb5"> <li>Trouble hearing. Hearing problems are usually temporary and mild to moderate. Long-lasting hearing loss is rare. But some children may have problems learning to talk and understand speech if they have repeat ear infections.</li> <li>Rupture of the eardrum. If fluid continues to build up in the middle ear, the eardrum may burst. This leaves a small hole that often heals within 2 weeks.</li> </ul> <p fingerprint="7a68b275" fingerprint-exact="d9289fa2">Another complication is ongoing inflammation of the middle ear. The major symptom is repeat or ongoing drainage of pus from the ear through a small hole in the eardrum. Many children with this problem have some hearing loss.</p> <p fingerprint="96ba3e57" fingerprint-exact="f4abf110">Other complications may develop if there are repeat ear infections:</p> <ul fingerprint="5d60d29e" fingerprint-exact="8cac1e33"> <li>Tissue growth behind the eardrum.</li> <li>Damage to the tiny bones in the middle ear.</li> </ul> <p fingerprint="a82be58c" fingerprint-exact="4533eae1">Rare complications include mastoiditis and meningitis.</p> </div><div class="HwNavigationSection HwSectionRelatedInformation" id="sec-hw182912-RelInfo"><h2 class="HwSectionTitle" fingerprint="d5f858e0" fingerprint-exact="c0ffe04b">Related Information</h2><ul fingerprint="7d8c7b8c" fingerprint-exact="916423a5"><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a data-hw-type="Major" data-hw-document-href="hw184385" data-hw-section="acl8663" hw:document-type="Major" hw:document-href="hw184385" data-hwid="hw184385" hw:section-href="acl8663" href="?id=hw184385#acl8663">Ear Infections</a></li><li class="HwOptionalAny"><a 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