1. Is otitis media common in children?
Pediatric otitis media is very common. Sometimes babies have ear pain in the middle of the night, which is most likely caused by otitis media.
2. What kind of otitis media is common in children?
There are acute otitis media, acute suppurative otitis media, herpetic tympanitis, secretory otitis media, and adhesive otitis media, etc.
3.What causes otitis media in children?
Upper respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, water in the ear, and pharyngeal tube ventilation dysfunction can all cause otitis media.
4. Can improper breastfeeding of infants and children lead to otitis media?
Sometimes improper breastfeeding of infants and children and choking on milk may also cause otitis media.
5. What causes can cause ventilation dysfunction of the eustachian tube in children?
Adenoid hypertrophy, chronic sinusitis, and nasal polyps may cause mechanical obstruction of the eustachian tube in pediatric patients, resulting in eustachian tube ventilation dysfunction. There are also congenital malformations of the eustachian tube, or nasopharyngeal tumors can cause pediatric eustachian tube ventilation dysfunction.
6.What are the manifestations of pediatric otitis media?
Acute otitis media mainly manifests as ear pain, ear ooze, and in some cases, pus flowing from the ear. Secretory otitis media mainly manifests as hearing loss, ear stuffiness, tinnitus and other discomforts.
7.What are the characteristics of otitis media in children of different ages?
In infants and toddlers, the main manifestation of otitis media is crying at night, and a large proportion of them already have pus flowing when they visit the clinic; in older children, the main manifestation is ear pain, and some of them come to the clinic with hearing loss, while some others are more insidious and are detected only because of pre-operative examination of adenoid hypertrophy.
8. How can parents detect pediatric otitis media early?
If your baby cries at night with ear scratching, consider that it may be caused by otitis media. It is recommended to visit an ENT clinic to rule out otitis media. Some babies who watch TV loudly are recommended to go to ENT clinic to rule out otitis media.
9.Does pediatric otitis media cause hearing loss?
Repeated otitis media can cause hearing loss, but if treated in a timely manner, it will usually return to normal. However, if the parents of some children do not pay attention to it, it may cause mixed deafness and it will be difficult to restore normal hearing.
10.What are the complications of otitis media in children?
In some cases, chronic otitis media may be formed, and in severe cases, it may lead to intracranial and extracranial complications such as subperiosteal abscess behind the ear, acute meningitis, and acute brain abscess.
11.What are the hazards of otitis media in children?
The painful otitis media can affect the sleep of children, and repeated otitis media attacks can affect the hearing of children.
12.Does otitis media in children cause damage to the eardrum?
Acute suppurative otitis media can cause tympanic membrane perforation, but with timely and regular treatment, most tympanic membrane perforations can heal on their own.
13.What tests should be done for pediatric otitis media?
Generally, blood tests are needed to assess the systemic infection, and endoscopy is needed after cleaning the ear canal to see the condition of the eardrum. If necessary, CT of the middle ear should be performed to understand the middle ear condition.
14.How to diagnose pediatric otitis media? What tests can confirm the diagnosis of otitis media in children?
Generally, the diagnosis of pediatric otitis media can be confirmed by the child’s symptoms and the endoscopy after cleaning the ear canal to see the condition of the eardrum, and if necessary, a suitable hearing test is needed for further clarification. Sometimes a CT of the middle ear is also needed to understand the middle ear.
15. How can I check the tympanic membrane and middle ear in infants and children?
In general, the ear canal is narrow in infants and children, so it is necessary to clean the ear canal and check the endoscope to see the condition of the eardrum and middle ear.
16.How to determine the type of otitis media in children?
Under the otoscope, we can see the tympanic membrane and generally clarify which type of otitis media it is. If necessary, we need to do a suitable hearing test to further differentiate clearly.
17.Do I have to start treatment for pediatric otitis media once it is diagnosed? How should pediatric otitis media be treated?
Once diagnosed, pediatric otitis media should be treated as soon as possible. The main treatment is symptomatic treatment. In the acute stage, local ear drops and oral antibiotics are needed (full course and regular use), and in severe cases, intravenous antibiotics are needed. Secretory otitis media needs to be treated with nasal spray and oral medication for fluid drainage, as well as assisted puffing and pharyngeal tube blowing.
18.Does medication for pediatric otitis media affect growth and development?
Pediatric otitis media medication generally does not affect the growth and development of children.
19.What is the effect of medication for otitis media in children?
As long as pediatric otitis media is treated with regular and adequate medication, the effect is usually very good.
20.When should surgery be done for pediatric otitis media?
If otitis media does not heal repeatedly for more than 3 months, affects the child’s hearing, has serious hearing loss, and is accompanied or not accompanied by adenoid hypertrophy, surgery can be considered.
21.What are the surgical options for otitis media in children? How to choose surgery for pediatric otitis media?
Depending on the severity of the child and the viscosity of the fluid in the tympanic cavity, as well as parental acceptance, different treatment options can be offered to parents.
22.What is tympanoplasty? (How is tympanoplasty done?
Tympanoplasty is the placement of a suitable tympanic ventilation tube in the anterior lower quadrant or posterior lower quadrant of the tympanic membrane to drain the fluid in the tympanic chamber and relieve the negative pressure in the tympanic chamber.
23.When should tympanic tube placement be done?
If the otitis media does not heal repeatedly for more than 3 months and affects the child’s hearing, tympanic membrane placement is necessary.
24.What cases are not suitable for tympanic membrane placement?
In the acute stage of otitis media, suspected jugular vein bullae, etc., tympanic tube placement is not suitable.
25.How long should the tympanic tube be kept in place?
In general, it is recommended to keep the tube for 3 to 6 months. In case of recurrent otitis media, if the tube has been placed and dislodged, the tube can be placed again for a longer period of time.
26.What is the effect of tympanic tube placement?
The results of tympanic tube placement are generally very good, but some patients (such as those with eustachian tube dysfunction) may be placed repeatedly.
27. Should I use ear drops after tympanic tube placement?
Generally, ear drops are not needed after the tube placement.
28.What should I do if I get water in the ear canal during tympanic tube placement?
If water enters the ear canal, immediately turn your head to the side of the ear to let the water flow out and go to the hospital as soon as possible.
29.How to clean the ear canal during tympanic tube placement?
It is best to go to a regular hospital to clean the ear canal.
30.What should I do if the tympanic tube falls out?
If the tympanic tube is dislodged, you can go to the ENT department to assess the recovery of otitis media. If the otitis media has completely recovered, there is no need to deal with it, but if the otitis media is still not healed, it may be necessary to place the tube again.
31.Why should adenoids be removed in pediatric otitis media?
Adenoid hypertrophy may cause mechanical obstruction of the pediatric eustachian tube and cause ventilation dysfunction of the pediatric eustachian tube.
32.When should adenoidectomy be performed?
If otitis media does not heal repeatedly for more than 3 months, affects the child’s hearing, has severe hearing loss, and if adenoid hypertrophy is present on nasopharyngoscopy or lateral rhinitis film, adenoids need to be removed.
33.What cases are not suitable for adenoidectomy?
Adenoidectomy is not recommended when there is no obvious adenoidal hypertrophy or when the child is too young.
34.What are the surgical results of adenoidectomy?
After adenoidectomy, it may relieve mechanical obstruction of the eustachian tube, improve the ventilation function of the eustachian tube, and promote the recovery of otitis media.
35.How long does it take for symptoms to improve after adenoidectomy?
The time of symptom relief after adenoidectomy is uncertain and varies greatly among individuals.
36.What are the possible complications after pediatric otitis media surgery?
Post-operative placement of tubes that remain in place for a long time can cause perforation of the eardrum.
37.How long does it take for a review after otitis media surgery?
Generally, it is recommended to review about 2 weeks after surgery.
38.How can parents prevent recurrence of otitis media in children?
Parents should try to avoid recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, rhinitis and sinusitis in their children.
39.How should parents clean the ear canal of their children?
The ear canal needs to be cleaned, and it is best to go to the hospital.
40.Can I pull out my child’s ears after otitis media surgery?
Generally do not pull out the ears.
41.How else can pediatric otitis media be treated besides medication and surgery?
In addition to medication and surgery, pediatric otitis media patients can do more chewing exercises and puffing exercises, and if the child cooperates well, they can also be treated with pharyngeal tube blowing.
42.What are the possible sequelae of otitis media in children?
Pediatric otitis media may cause sequelae such as tympanic membrane perforation and hearing loss.