Otitis Media

Overview and Facts about Otitis Media

Otitis media (OM) is a condition that causes inflammation in the middle ear. The condition usually occurs in young children, and the different types of OM include:

• Acute OM: This condition causes swelling and inflammation in the middle ear. Mucus and fluid can become trapped in the ear, causing fever and earache.
• OM with effusion: In this condition, mucus and fluid continue to build up in the middle ear, affecting the child’s hearing.
• ChronicOM with effusion: In this condition, mucus and fluid remain in the middle ear for a long period of time, affecting the child’s hearing and causing difficulty fighting infections.

Signs and Symptoms of Otitis Media

Common signs and symptoms of OM include the following:

• Difficulty sleeping or hearing
• Irritability, fever or loss of balance
• Tugging at the ears or fluid draining from the ear

Causes and Risk Factors of Otitis Media

OM is usually caused by a problem in the eustachian tube. This is the tube that links the middle ear and the throat and helps to balance the pressure between the middle and outer ear.

When the eustachian tube malfunctions, it prevents normal drainage from the middle ear, causing an accumulation of fluid. This increases the risk of bacterial growth and viruses.

Your child may be at risk of OM if he or she is:

• Around people who smoke
• Has a cold or allergy symptoms
• Has a weak immune system
• Spends time in daycare
• Was not breastfed

Tests and Diagnosis of Otitis Media

Your doctor, an otolaryngology or ear, nose and throat specialist, will take a complete medical history and examine your child’s ears using an otoscope. This is an instrument that has a light and allows the doctor to see inside your child’s ear.

The doctor may also perform a tympanometry, a test designed to detect any changes in pressure in the child’s ear and to determine how the middle ear is performing. If your child has had frequent ear infections, a hearing test may be performed.

Treatment and Care for Otitis Media

Treatment will depend on a number of factors including:

• The severity of the OM
• Your child’s age
• Your child’s medical history and overall health
• Your preference

Treatment for OM may include:

• Close observation
• Ear tubes may be an option when fluid lasts longer than three months or causes hearing loss
• Medication for fever or pain
• Oral antibiotics or antibiotic ear drops

It is also possible to treat your child with a combination of these treatments.