Otitis media can cause dangerous hearing loss in children

Epidemic otitis media in young children is not difficult to treat, most need only medical treatment. However, in fact, because the disease progresses quietly, so many cases of young parents take children for examination because they discover that children are hearing impaired, learning is declining. The following is an interview with Master - Dr. Nguyen Truong Khuong

* Doctor, why do children with this disease and common diseases at any age?

According to world statistics, children often suffer from 6 to 8 times of upper respiratory infections in a year. The middle ear is the air space behind the eardrum that is communicated with the nasopharynx through the atrium, so it is also very susceptible to inflammation following respiratory inflammation.

Epidemic otitis media is a mucus-producing middle ear infection that occurs during the recovery phase of acute otitis media. The disease usually recovers. However, there are still a few persistent cases that cause hearing loss of children who need active treatment with drugs, by surgery.

The disease is most common in children from 6 months to 2 years old, over 6 years of age children are less prone, but the disease can be encountered at any age. Especially in children with VA obesity, sinus rhinitis, split arch almost.

* How can parents identify children with this disease?

The most common situation that parents recognize is that suddenly they are indifferent, slow to reflect in communication, sometimes speaking like children who cannot hear or children watch TV tuned to sound bigger than normal. or teachers at the school complained that children have been slow to learn slowly. However, these situations have often been late.

* So what are the signs of epidemic otitis media that can detect this disease early?

Dr. Nguyen Truong Khuong: Because the disease of middle ear infection usually occurs during the recovery phase of acute middle ear infection, symptoms often only be detected when the doctor visits. Therefore, when a child with middle ear infection or re-inflamed upper respiratory tract re-lasts and lasts, you need to take the child to the doctor to be closely monitored by the doctor to avoid the occurrence of a plausible situation.

* Doctor, how will the disease be treated and monitored?

The disease should be carefully examined by the doctor of the ear-nose-throat specialist, and some hearing tests such as rheumatoid arthritis (to assess and monitor fluid in the atrium and the function of the atrium) should be performed. , Audiogram (to assess and monitor children's hearing).

The disease should be treated and monitored for 3 months to 1 year depending on the case. In cases of persistent secretions in the middle ear that affect the hearing of a sick child, surgery will be performed by placing a catheter into the atrium through the eardrum to create a balance of pressure between the eardrum and The environment that helps secretions in the atrium will be drained from the atrium.

In addition, the disease is also treated with combination diseases such as VA, sinusitis, arch patch.

* What can parents do to prevent this disease?

Dr. Nguyen Truong Khuong: According to many research projects in the world, to prevent disease, the subordinates need to note the following, depending on the circumstances, there are appropriate adjustments to minimize the risk factors. muscle diseases for children:

1. Parents and family members should not smoke in the home, in the room with children.
2. Breastfeeding is recommended.
3. Children should not be bottle fed, especially sucked in lying position.
4. Avoid contact with children who are suffering from respiratory infections.