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Otitis media is more commonly known as glue
ear and is a condition which affects the middle ear in children and it
is one of the most common of all problems that Doctors treat in children.
By the age of 6 year old, more than 70% of all children will have had
at least one middle ear infection and possibly more.
The illness occurs when the fluid behind the eardrum accumulates in the
space behind the drum and bacteria from the nasal passages invade the
fluid and thus causes an infection in the middle ear.
What are the signs of otitis media?
Signs that your child may be suffering from otitis media will vary depending
on the severity of the infection but general signs to look for are
* A sore or red ear, this is generally because the child will tug at their
ear persistently due to blockage and the pain it causes
* Extremely irritable
* A fever is present
* In young babies, persistent crying especially when laid on the infected
ear
* Shaking of the head
How is otitis media diagnosed?
Diagnosing otitis media is quite a straightforward procedure and will
only take your Doctor a few minutes to perform; the Doctor will look into
your child's ear using a special instrument called an otoscope. If the
eardrum is red, inflamed and possibly bulging then otitis media will be
diagnosed.
How is otitis media treated?
The illness will be treated with antibiotics which will generally be prescribed
for roughly 7 to 10 days, it is extremely important that your child take
all of the medication even when they are feeling a lot better, if the
complete course of antibiotics isn't taken then the illness can reoccur.
The symptoms of the illness should start to disappear after 48 hours of
starting the antibiotics and pain medication such as Calpol may be taken
for relief from pain. Giving your child something warm to hold to their
ear can also help with the pain.
Are there any complications of otitis media?
Some children are prone more than others are to having reoccurring attacks
of otitis media despite taking antibiotics, as the illness can block or
muffle sound and make hearing very difficult the child who has attacks
on a regular basis can begin to suffer from problems in language development.
If a child keeps having recurrent attacks of otitis media than two options
will normally be available, the first is to keep the child on a very low
course of antibiotics for several months and the second involves the insertion
of a small plastic tube to drain the fluid and keep the middle ear dry.
This type of surgery reflects how common the illness is as this is the
number one reason for surgery in all young children.
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