Are
there any preventive measures for Otitis Media?
- When
bottle feeding your child, hold his or her head above the stomach
level during feeding. This can help keep the Eustachian tubes
from getting blocked.
- The
best hope for avoiding ear infections is the development of
vaccines against the bacteria that most often cause otitis media.
At present, they are still in the experimental stage.
What is the treatment of Otitis Media?
Medical
treatment
Prompt
treatment of middle ear infections with
antibiotics is
vital to prevent complications. Oral antibiotics can be given
for five to seven days in children over two years old. A full
ten-day course of antibiotics, however, should still probably
be used for very young children and for those with complications.
Analgesics
(pain relievers) may be given to reduce the discomfort. Antihistamines,
decongestants and steroids have not been proven to work in children
for the treatment of otitis media.
Surgical
treatment
Once
the infection clears, fluid may remain in the middle ear. This
situation is termed serous otitis media or otitis media with effusion.
Middle ear fluid that is not infected may disappear after several
weeks; alternatively, it may persist for several months. If the
fluid persists for more than three months and is associated with
a loss of hearing, the insertion of a
tympanostomy tube
is suggested. A procedure called
myringotomy is performed
where a tiny incision is made in the child’s eardrum and
fluid in the middle ear is gently sucked out. A small metal or
plastic tympanostomy tube is then placed through the eardrum to
prevent the myringotomy from closing and to help clear the middle
ear fluid. This procedure is done under general anaesthesia. Once
the fluid is evacuated from the middle ear, the child’s hearing
often returns to normal. The tubes cannot be seen or felt while
in place. Most types of tympanonstomy tubes usually stay in place
for six to twelve months and fall out spontaneously once the incision
heals.
Some
children may need to have the operation repeated if the fluid
re-accumulates after the tube comes out. While the tubes are in
place, water should be kept out of the ears. It is recommended
that a child with tubes wear special ear-plugs while swimming
or bathing so that water does not enter the middle ear.
Additional
treatment strategies for otitis media
If
the child has enlarged or infected adenoids, the otolaryngologist
may recommend an
adenoidectomy at the same time that the
tubes are inserted.
Last updated on 23-02-2001
