Beware of children prone to otitis media with exudative

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Otitis media with exudate in children is a common disease in the period when children are learning to speak, the typical symptom of otitis media in children is hearing loss. If the disease is not treated in time, it will slow down the speech learning process as well as the language development process, thereby affecting the intellectual development in children.

1. Causes of otitis media with discharge in children

Otitis media with exudative otitis media is a chronic condition in which fluid is present in the middle ear. Usually, exudative otitis media is neither symptomatic nor indicative of an acute inflammatory condition. The discharge is secreted by the otitis process, occurs behind a normal tympanic membrane, then it diffuses in all areas of the mastoid.
The causes of otitis media are very diverse, however, the main cause is still due to the dysfunction of the tympanic membrane (function to balance middle ear pressure and outside air pressure), when Inflammation in children will block the eustachian tube door and lead to increased negative pressure in the middle ear, causing discharge. Besides, some other causes of the disease can be mentioned as follows:
The eustachian tube in children is usually wider and shorter than in adults, so when the nasopharyngeal area is inflamed, bacteria and viruses will travel to the nasopharynx. through the eustachian tube into the middle ear and cause the child to have purulent otitis media. In addition, upper respiratory tract infections in children will cause nasal obstruction, reduce ventilation and create negative pressure in the middle ear, causing mucus to accumulate in the nasopharynx and obstruct the eustachian tube leading to otitis media. . Some other causes of otitis media in children such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, VA, allergic rhinitis, rhinosinusitis, immunology or localized tumors in the nasopharynx of children.

2. Effects of exudative otitis media on children

Normally, 1-2 children in 10 children have otitis media with discharge. The main typical symptom of the disease is hearing loss in children. In case a child who is at the stage of learning to speak has otitis media with exudation, it will slow down the speech learning process as well as the language development process, thereby affecting the child's intellectual development.
In addition, otitis media with exudate in children, if not treated properly and promptly, will make the disease worse, specifically, cause children to have purulent otitis media, if untreated. In older children, otitis media with secretions can cause hearing loss, often leading to loud speech, discomfort in the ears, and pain. ears, intermittent throbbing, or ringing in the ears ; The disease, if not treated in time, will lead to middle ear collapse, otitis media with adhesions, Cholesteatoma; Atrial fibrillation, otitis media, perforation leading to deafness; At the same time, the disease will affect the development of mastoid cells and balance disorders, dizziness.

3. Recognizing the signs of otitis media with discharge

Usually, in the early stages of the disease, there will be no specific symptoms, so it is often difficult for parents to recognize, some otolaryngologists may also misdiagnose or miss the disease because there are few diseases. In case the child has a fever or symptoms of headache, tinnitus.
Therefore, when the doctor conducts an ear exam in the early stages, the child's eardrum is mostly normal, but when the disease is more severe, some signs may appear such as:
Appearance of air bubbles in the eardrum. or possibly the water level in the tympanic cavity; As the disease progresses, the tympanic membrane will begin to thicken and redden, then the eardrum is concave inward, the epiglottis concave, when observed, a light yellow or white fluid can be seen behind. child's eardrum. Symptoms of otitis media with discharge in children are often silent, so children do not react, so most parents do not detect abnormalities. Detecting the disease in children is mainly caused by respiratory infections causing runny nose, stuffy nose. Therefore, if parents and caregivers and teachers find that their child has a hearing loss, they should take the child to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.

4. Treatment and prevention of exudative otitis media in children

When the doctor suspects that your child has otitis media with discharge, the doctor will ask the child to do a tympanometry test. This is one of the tests to evaluate the middle ear. Therefore, if otoscopy results are normal, the child also needs tympanometry. Depending on the results of this test, the doctor will evaluate the amount of fluid in the middle ear more or less to take appropriate treatment.
If otitis media with exudate in children is not treated properly, there will be severe sequelae that impair hearing function, more dangerously cause perforation of the eardrum leading to deafness in children. Measures to treat otitis media with exudate in children. Children can be treated medically, surgically or in combination. The specific treatment measures for otitis media with exudate in children are as follows:
Medical treatment: The treatment of otitis media with exudation in children by this method means the use of drugs, mainly antibiotics. for anti-bacterial, antihistamines and anti-allergic drugs, decongestant vasoconstrictors, systemic corticosteroids, application of the valsalva maneuver and expectorant, eustachian tube.... Surgical treatment: In cases If the use of medical methods does not improve results, the child needs surgery. The main surgical methods include techniques such as tympanic membrane extraction with or without tympanic catheterization, curettage of the VA or treatment of obstructions caused by tumors or other cysts causing otitis media with exudate in children. ... The purpose of this treatment is to drain the middle ear fluid; improve hearing and prevent recurrence. The method of injecting the tympanic membrane and placing the ventilation tube will help achieve the above 3 purposes. Middle ear discharge in children can be prevented if parents keep the nasopharynx clean for the child, especially in the weather. season change, early breastfeeding; children under 12 months old should not be sent to daycare; Do not allow children to swim when they have respiratory infections; Parents absolutely should not smoke in the house to keep the air fresh and avoid pollution. In the case of children with nasopharyngitis, treatment should be symptomatic to avoid complications of otitis media.

If you notice that your child has a phenomenon of hearing loss, the child is deaf, does not pay attention or shows signs of distraction, tinnitus, severe pain in the ear, the child should be taken to a medical facility with an otolaryngology specialist for examination. Doctors help children develop physically and mentally. The pediatric department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children. With a system of facilities, modern medical equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread, Vinmec will bring satisfaction to customers. and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctors, Master's degree), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to play comfortably and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.

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