Parents' Experiences Caring for Children Diagnosed With Ear Infections: A Qualitative Analysis

IntroductionFew qualitative studies have examined parents' experiences in the days following their child's acute otitis media (AOM) diagnosis. This qualitative study explored challenges faced by parents and probed parents about how these challenges could be mitigated.MethodsInterviews took place from October 2022 to July 2024 with parents from four pediatric practices. Recruitment was limited to parents of children 3-24 months of age who were recently diagnosed with AOM. Transcripts were analyzed using template analysis.ResultsWe conducted 19 interviews. Major concerns identified by parents were failure of symptom improvement, missed sleep/work, and issues related to antimicrobial treatment. The experience of parents of children with multiple AOM episodes differed from that of less experienced parents. Parents identified areas physicians could improve parental experiences such as setting expectations for the recovery period and offering optional follow-up visits at the end of the treatment period.Discussion and ConclusionsThis study provides insights into challenges parents face in the days following diagnosis of AOM. Our findings suggest parents may benefit from additional physician counseling at the time of diagnosis, including a detailed discussion of what to expect during the recovery period and review of indications for follow-up.