Prevalence of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children with Hearing Loss

Otitis media is an inflammation of the middle ear cleft, with or without intact tympanic membrane. Otitis media is known to be one of the most common childhood infections. Middle ear effusions have been recognized to grab increasing attention because of the problems they pose in both the diagnosis and the treatment, and because of the fear that effusion is the cause of learning difficulties, irreversible middle ear disease, or both. To study prevalence of otitis media with effusion in children with hearing loss. Materials and methods: This prospective study was conducted on children with hearing loss ageing between 3 and 15 years presenting to ENT OPD of GURU GOBIND SINGH MEDICAL COLLEGE FARIDKOT with complaint of hearing loss from January 2015 to June 2016. Total of 125 children were taken in study. Detailed history and complete ENT examination was done along with pure tone audiometery and impedence audiometery. Most common complaints of patient were otalgia on ototscopic examination majority of patients had congested tympanic membranes. Otitis media with effusion was most common cause of hearing loss. Majority of children diagnosed with otitis media with effusion were in age group of 6-8 years of age. Patients with mild hearing loss due to otitis media with effusion, on pure tone audiometery was more as compared to moderate hearing loss. B type of tympanogram was found in majority of cases. The potential of otitis media with effusion to cause a series of sequels and complications such as tympanosclerosis, retraction pockets, adhesive otitis media and hearing or speech impairment makes the disease an important public health problem. To prevent delayed diagnosis which leads to development of this disease, parents must be informed about the preventable risk factors and symptoms for the development of otitis media with effusion.