Preventing Ear Infections in Children There are a few things you can do to help prevent ear infections from having in the first place. First, don’t smoke. Kids that are exposed to secondhand smoke just get more ear infections, plain and simple. Breastfeed if you can. Kids that breastfeed when they’re younger get ear infections less when they’re older. So, that’s very important, too and then lastly, if your child is in daycare and getting sick a lot, maybe switch to a different daycare. One that has less kids in it, less germs floating around, they’ll get sick less.