Management of otitis media with effusion in children

Abstract

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a condition characterised by a collection of fluid within the middle ear without signs of acute inflammation. It is common in young children, with a bimodal peak at two and five years of age. Eighty percent of children have at least one episode of OME by the age of 10 years. This disease is a common ear problem among children with craniofacial anomalies including cleft palate and Down syndrome (DS).While most cases of OME will resolve spontaneously, it may persist in some children. The main symptom of OME is hearing impairment. This condition is often underdiagnosed, leading to untreated hearing problem, which can cause speech and language developmental delay and poor school performance.

Keywords

• otitis media with effusion
• risk factors
• hearing loss