Otitis Media in Children can Develop Potentially Dangerous Complications

Abstract

Otitis media is rarely an isolated disease, it mainly occurs as part of respiratory infections of the nose and throat, because inflammation from the nose penetrates through the Eustachian tube into the middle ear. Acute otitis media is defined as an inflammatory process involving the middle ear, Eustachian tube, and mastoid cells with the presence of secretions in the middle ear. In children, inflammation is common due to specific anatomical structures, immaturity of the immune system, and hypertrophy of lymphatic tissue. In case the eardrum is very hyperemic, bulging, or purulent secretion is already present in the ear canal as well as in the nose, it is necessary to introduce an antibiotic in the treatment. It is important to take a bacteriological nasal swab before antibiotic therapy and for a runny ear and ear swab. When and which antibiotic to prescribe depends on the clinical picture and age of the child and on the cause and its resistance to the antibiotic.