Otitis Media Introduction

Introduction

Otitis Media (OM), inflammation of the middle ear, is one of the most common pediatric medical problems in the United States.

90% percent of U.S. children experience at least one episode of OM by their 7th birthday.
Almost half of these children will have three or more episodes during their first 3 years.
In the year 2000, the direct and indirect treatment costs (physician office visits, parents' time lost from work, etc.) was estimated to cost $5 billion dollars in the U.S.A.

Children often experience OM as a continuum of symptoms. The disease usually begins with an upper respiratory infection (URI). The infection then spreads to the middle ear (ME). The ME infection may cause distressing acute symptoms including fever, earache, ear drainage, hearing loss etc. or it may smolder for months with few symptoms. Often young children are unable to communicate symptoms, parents and caregivers must be on guard for the signs of OM.

The scope and costs of OM have prompted investigation into the multiple factors contributing to the occurrence of OM. This course will explore OM classification, pathophysiology, diagnosis, etiology and the treatment modalities relevant to the pediatric population.