Treating Secretory Otitis Media in Children
Secretory Otitis Media - also called Otitis Media with Effusion, sometimes referred to as Glue Ear is a very common ear condition in children in which there is sterile collection of fluid in the middle ear of the child. The collection of fluid dampens the movement of the ear drum leading to sensation of ear blockage and loss of hearing. There are usually two peaks in a child's life- at 2 years and then at 5 years of age. Secretory Otitis Media (SOM) must be distinguished from Acute Otitis Media (AOM, ASOM) which is usually an infective condition and there is accompanying ear pain, or Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) in which there is usually an accompanying ear discharge. What Causes SOM? The occurrence of SOM in very small children is linked to their poor/ immature immune status. A breastfed infant normally loses maternal antibodies by 18 months of age. At the age of 2 years the child is exposed to the outside environment and other children for the first time - ...