How
does a child with Otitis Media present?
Otitis
Media is often difficult to detect in children as they may be unable
to tell what is bothering them.
Common
features of Otitis Media include:
- Muffled
hearing
- Sensation
of ear blockage or pressure
- Ear
pain
- Fever
- Ear
discharge
- Unusual
irritability
- Difficulty
in sleeping
- Tugging,
pulling or scratching one or both ears
- Unresponsiveness
to quiet sounds
- Inattentiveness
- Misunderstanding
directions
- Sitting
too close to the television
- Wanting
the television or radio louder than usual
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
or loss of balance
On
the other hand, there may be no symptoms at all. At times, middle
ear fluid may be discovered incidentally during a routine check-up.
How
does a child’s physician diagnose Otitis Media?
Ear
infections require immediate attention by a
pediatrician, primary
care physician or an
otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat
specialist). In addition, evaluation by an
audiologist
and a
speech-language pathologist is important if a child
has repeated episodes of infection and/or chronic fluid in the middle
ear.
If
otitis media is suspected, the child’s ears are examined with
an instrument called as
otoscope to check for redness or
fluid behind the eardrum. Another procedure called the
Pneumatic
otoscopy may be performed to check for middle ear fluid. During
this procedure a puff of air is blown into the ear and movement
of the eardrum is observed. An eardrum with fluid behind it does
not move as well as an eardrum with air behind it. An
audiogram
or hearing test is performed to measure the degree of hearing loss.
Tympanometry
measures eardrum motion and the middle ear pressure to determine
how well the Eustachian tube is functioning.
An
ear swab from the ear discharge may be taken to determine
the infecting germ and to decide appropriate antibiotic.
In
certain situations (where infection to the brain is suspected),
a
CT Scan of the head may be helpful to determine if the
infection has spread beyond the middle ear.
Last
updated on 23-02-2001
