Clinical Features of Acute Otitis Media Among Children

Abstract

The anamnestic and clinical data on all of the 2254 attacks of acute otitis media (AOM) registered among 14200 children (<16 years) at risk during a one-year period were analysed. On the basis of otoscopic findings AOM was classified into three grades: 25.0% of the cases were considered mild, 39.0% moderate and 36.0% severe. Spontaneous perforation was found in 4.6% of the cases. 76.2% of the attacks were preceded by a respiratory infection, but only 1.4% were sequelae of some epidemic childhood disease. Earache was present in 73.5% of the attacks; in 81.0% of these it had lasted less than 24 hours. 39.4% of all the attacks were bilateral; during the first 2 years of life the proportion was 53.7%, decreasing thereafter with increasing age, and being only 18.7% among those 10-15 years old. In unilateral attacks the right ear was affected slightly, but not significantly, more often.