Otitis Media

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Otitis Media

• Kirsten M. Marconi, Au.D., CCC-A
• Educational Audiologist
• Louisville, Marlington, Minerva, Plain Local,
  Sandy Valley

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What is Otitis Media

• Otitis Media means inflammation of the middle
  ear
• Different types
• Acute presence of fluid, pus, redness of eardrum
  and possible fever
• Chronic fluid lasting 6 weeks or more
• May or may not be infected
• Different types different treatment
• Typically when a physician says ear infection,
  actually means acute otitis media

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Facts about Otitis Media

• One of the most commonly diagnosed childhood
  illnesses in US
• By age of 3, 4 out of 5 children will have at
  least 1 episode of otitis media
• Most likely to occur in first 2-4 years of life

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Causes

• Young children
• Eustachian tube is shorter and somewhat flat
• Direct route for bacteria and viruses
• Eustachian tube is narrow and stiff
• Easier to get blocked
• Adenoids
• Gland-like structure at back/top of throat near
  opening of eustachian tube. If enlarged, can
  interfere with eustachian tube functioning.
• Immune system not fully developed
• Age 7

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Middle Ear Space

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Other causes

• Exposure to cigarette smoke
• Bottle feeding (bottle at night, nap time)
• Day care (kid-to-kid)
• Ear infections arent contagious
• Cold/virus that developed into an
• ear infection is contagious

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Signs and symptoms

• Earache
• Tugging at ears
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping
• Fever
• Drainage (rupture)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness

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Why worry about it?

• Hearing difficulties
• Speech delays
• Children speak what they hear

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Hearing loss

• Temporary
• Conductive
• Signs
• Asks for repetition
• Turns up tv, radio
• Not responding
• Appear inattentive at school
• Nothing
• Note from SLP, Ed Aud regarding a flat
  tympanogram or failed hearing screening.

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Tympanograms

• Normal Flat

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What next?

• Referral to physician
• If chronic, referral to specialist
• ENT
• Ear, Nose, and Throat physician

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Treatment options

• Different depending on physician
• Wait and see
• Antibiotics (IF infected)
• PE tubes
• Slit in eardrum
• Drain fluid in ear
• Place tube in ear (usually bilaterally)
• Tube ventilates and equalizes pressure in middle
  ear, and subsequently will normalize hearing (IF
  hearing was normal in the first place)
• In place anywhere from 6-18 months, usually fall
  out on their own.

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Pressure Equalization Tubes

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FOLLOW UP!

• Tubes wont work if they arent open!