EAR INFECTIONS - MIDDLE EAR FLUID TREATMENT

Middle ear fluid can be treated in many ways. Treatment options include observation and tube surgery or adenoid surgery. Because a treatment that works for one child may not work for another, your pediatrician can help you decide what treatment is best for your child. If one treatment doesn’t work, another treatment can be tried. Ask your pediatrician about the costs, advantages and disadvantages of each treatment.

Your pediatrician will decide if treatment is needed based on several factors including the following:

• If your child is at risk (see Middle Ear Fluid and Your Child)
• How long your child has had middle ear fluid
• The amount of hearing loss or other problems caused by the fluid
  While there are a variety of options for treating middle ear fluid, there are several that are NOT recommended for children:
• Medicines not recommended include decongestants and antihistamines; prolonged, frequent or low-dose courses of antibiotics; and steroid nasal sprays.
  

Surgical treatments not recommended include myringotomy (draining of fluid without placing a tube) and tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils). If your pediatrician suggests one of these surgeries, it may be for another medical reason. Ask your pediatrician why your child needs the surgery. If you are still unsure, you may want to talk to another doctor.
No recommendation can be made regarding complementary and alternative medicine treatments, including herbal medicines, for middle ear fluid. There isn’t enough evidence showing that these treatments work. Some of these treatments have major risks.

No recommendation can be made regarding allergy management treatments for middle ear fluid. There isn’t enough evidence showing a cause-and-effect relationship between allergy and middle ear fluid. Also, the benefits of treatment are uncertain, there are major potentially harmful effects, and treatments can be expensive.

© Copyright 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics