Pediatric emergency room visits are most commonly diagnosed with otitis media (AOM), second only to upper respiratory infections for common pediatric illness. The most common age group for acute otitis media is between the ages of five and nine. About 80% of children will develop otitis media at some point in their lives, and between 80% and 90% of children will develop otitis media with a stroke before school age. Epidemiology, assessment, and management of acute otitis media and underscore the role of the interprofessional team in treating this condition.
Acute otitis media treatment is defined as an infection of the middle ear cavity; it is a spectrum of conditions including acute otitis media (AOM), chronic purulent otitis media (CSOM), and otitis media with effusion (OME). media is the second most common pediatric emergency room diagnosis after upper respiratory tract infections. Even though otitis media may occur at any age, it is most commonly seen between 6 and 24 months old.
Infections of the middle ear can be vital, bacterial, or co-infected. Acute Otitis media is most commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), and Moraxella catarrhalis. There are now non-vaccine pneumococcal species. Adenoviruses, human metapneumoviruses, coronaviruses, influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), and picornaviruses are the most common viral pathogens causing otitis media.
Otitis media is diagnosed clinically by objective findings on physical examination (otoscopy) in conjunction with the patient's medical history and signs and symptoms.