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Occurrence of acute otitis media during colds in children younger than four years

Carlos Eladio Armengol1, J Owen Hendley, Birgit Winther

  • 1Department of Pediatrics University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA. cea4p@virginia.edu

The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal
|May 20, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Acute otitis media (AOM) is common in young children during colds, especially when middle ear effusion (MEE) is already present. Many children with AOM do not seek medical care.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Acute otitis media (AOM) is a frequent childhood illness.
  • Understanding the incidence of AOM during common colds is crucial for management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the frequency of acute otitis media (AOM) in young children during a common cold.
  • To investigate the association between pre-existing middle ear effusion (MEE) and AOM incidence.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective enrollment of children aged 6 months to 3 years.
  • Regular tympanometry and tympanic membrane photography during colds.
  • Diagnosis of AOM based on American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) criteria.

Main Results:

  • AOM occurred in 55% of observed colds.
  • AOM incidence was 100% in colds with pre-existing middle ear effusion (MEE) versus 26% without (P < 0.0001).
  • Only 4 children received antibiotics, and 12 out of 17 with AOM did not seek medical attention.

Conclusions:

  • Acute otitis media (AOM) is a highly prevalent condition during childhood colds.
  • The presence of middle ear effusion (MEE) significantly increases the likelihood of developing AOM.
  • Underdiagnosis and undertreatment may be issues, as many children with AOM do not receive medical care.

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