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It's two in the morning, and like most people you're fast asleep.
已經(jīng)是凌晨兩點(diǎn)鐘了，就像其他人一樣你正在睡夢當(dāng)中。
But then your eyespop open and your three year old is standing there,tugging her ear and saying, “Mommy, my ear hurts.”
但是你突然睜開眼睛，發(fā)現(xiàn)你三歲的女兒站在那里，拽著她的耳朵說：“媽媽！我的耳朵痛。”
If you're a parent with a young child, this scenario is probably nothing new.
如果你是一個(gè)年幼孩子的家長，你就會知道這樣的情景并不新奇。
In fact, the typical toddler averages about four ear aches per year.
實(shí)際上，大部分幼童每年平均有四次耳痛。
But when's thelast time you had an ear infection?
但是你最后一次耳朵感染是多久呢？
Clearly, little kids are much more likely to get anear infection than adults.
明顯地，小孩比大人更容易患耳朵感染。
What makes kids so susceptible?
究竟是什么讓小孩如此脆弱呢？
Most infections happen in the middle ear, a pocket about the size of a small grapelocated just behind the eardrum.
大多數(shù)感染發(fā)生在中耳。在鼓膜后面有一個(gè)小葡萄般大小的囊。
When kids get a cold, the auditory tube–ashaft running from the middle ear to the throat-can become filled with fluid.
當(dāng)兒童感冒以后，耳咽管就會就會充滿液體，耳咽管是從中耳到喉嚨的通道。
For grownups this usually isn't a problem, since adult tubes are large enough to letthe fluid drain away.
對于大人來說，這根本不是一個(gè)問題，因?yàn)榇笕说亩使艽蟮米阋宰屢后w流走。
But in children under three, the auditory tube is a lotsmaller and more likely to get clogged up.
但是對于三歲以下的兒童，他們的耳咽管更小更容易被堵塞。
Bacteria love this sort of clogging,and soon they move in and cause infection.
細(xì)菌很喜歡這種賭塞，很快他們就會滋生，引起感染。
The ear reacts by making pus, a thickliquid that fights bacteria.
耳朵這時(shí)會做出反應(yīng)產(chǎn)生一種濃稠的殺滅細(xì)菌的膿液。
As the pus builds up it pushes on the eardrum, causingpain.
隨著膿液的積聚，它會壓迫耳膜，引起疼痛。
Fortunately, the cure is pretty straightforward.
幸運(yùn)的是，治愈很簡單。
A good dose of antibiotics andyour child will be good as new in a few days.
只需一劑好的抗生素，你的孩子在幾天內(nèi)就會康復(fù),如同新生一般。
So if what seems like a constant seriesof ear infections is wearing you and your child out,take heart.
因此如果一系列的耳朵感染似乎讓你和你的孩子筋疲力盡了，一定要振作起來。
Around when most kids turn three, their auditory tubes become large enough to makeinfection less likely.
當(dāng)大多數(shù)兒童到三歲以后，他們的耳咽管就會變得足夠大，感染也會變少了。
