If your child does not answer you when you call or if he or she turns up the volume of the television too much, it is necessary to suspect hearing loss. Adenoid and middle ear infections can lead to hearing loss. According to experts, feeding the child with a bottle while lying down, food allergies, cigarette smoke and adenoid infections cause middle ear infections.
ENT Specialist Prof. from Üsküdar University NPİSTANBUL Brain Hospital. Dr. Murat Topak pointed out that middle ear infections and adenoid problems affect the child's development and reduce the quality of life.
He stated that middle ear infection is an infection of the middle ear and the mucosa lining the cavities anatomically connected to the middle ear. Dr. Murat Topak stated that in otitis media, there is inflammatory fluid in the middle ear, which should be completely filled with air.
Prof. stated that middle ear infections are classified under four headings. Dr. Murat Topak said, “The first of these is myringitis. Myringitis is inflammation of the eardrum with or without otitis media. Acute otitis media, which ranks second, is a short-term otitis media characterized by sudden onset and pain. Otitis media with effusion is the accumulation of fluid (effusion) behind the intact eardrum without sudden and severe symptoms. This term describes a long-term middle ear problem that is discharged and not of inflammatory origin. "Chronic otitis media describes a long-term infection with a chronic discharge coming from the middle ear through a perforation in the eardrum," he said.
85% of children have otitis media
Stating that middle ear infections are among the most common diseases of the childhood age group, Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said, "Considering that 85% of all children have at least one attack of acute otitis media, the importance of the disease can be understood."
The eustachian canal is short and horizontal
Noting that there are several reasons why acute otitis media is more common in children, Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said, “Until the immune system is fully mature, children, especially in nursery, kindergarten and primary school, often encounter upper respiratory tract infections. Also adults "These upper respiratory tract infections can easily progress to the middle ear through the eustachian tube, which is shorter and horizontal than normal," he said.
Feeding while lying down causes the disease
Prof. Dr. Murat Topak listed other reasons why otitis media is more common in children as follows: “In addition to this basic mechanism, feeding children in a lying position (in children who suck a bottle while lying down, milk can easily pass into the middle ear and pave the way for the development of infection), the presence of food allergies, passive smoking.” and chronic adenoid infections are additional factors that increase the risk.”
Prof. defines otitis media with effusion as “the presence of fluid in the middle ear, behind the eardrum, without signs of acute infection.” Dr. Murat Topak said, “Effusions lasting less than 6 weeks are usually due to acute otitis media. If the effusion in the middle ear remains for more than 3 months, it is called chronic effusion. Chronic otitis media with effusion is a childhood disease. Factors such as anomalies such as cleft palate, Down syndrome, pharyngolaryngeal reflux, anatomical position of the eustachian tube and frequent upper respiratory tract infections are factors that increase the risk of otitis media with effusion in children. "It is related to the seasons, it is more common in the spring months when the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections increases, while its frequency decreases in the summer months," he said.
Hearing loss is an important symptom
Medium with effusion Prof. stated that ear infection is a disease with subtle symptoms and that it can be diagnosed incidentally, without the child having any obvious complaints. Dr. Murat Topak said:
“The absence of symptoms such as pain, fever and ear discharge prevents the family's attention from focusing on the ear. In young children, frequent touching of hands to the ear may be the only symptom. The presence of hearing loss is often not noticed. Parents usually attribute the child's lack of response to calls to his indifference, his too loud TV volume to curiosity, and his child's close viewing to a possible vision defect. "In most children, the diagnosis is made as a result of teachers' warnings or when they are taken to the doctor due to other illnesses."
Prof. emphasizes that poorly treated chronic effusions are one of the most important factors in the emergence of other chronic ear diseases. Dr. Murat Topak said, “Effusions that occur after acute otitis media must be followed for at least 3 months to be diagnosed as chronic otitis media with effusion. In patients who are diagnosed for the first time and it is not known whether the effusion has been present before, medical treatment is applied if the patient is seen in the spring and winter months. At the beginning of summer, follow-up is more appropriate. The most commonly used drugs in medical treatment are antibiotics. It is beneficial for the patient to receive medical treatment at least twice before deciding on surgical treatment. "In surgical treatment, a ventilation tube is applied," he said.
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