Acute otitis media

Get a real ear-full of information today when we talk about the 2nd most common diagnosis in the pediatric emergency department, acute otitis media (AOM)!

This episode was written by Dr. Tammy Yau and Dr. Lidia Park with content support from Dr. Lena Van der list. Drs. Tammy and Lidia take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation. 

Key Points:

• Ear pain with a red bulging tympanic membrane and decreased tympanic membrane mobility is our diagnosis for acute otitis media. 
• AOM can be due to bacteria (S. pneumoniae, H. influenza, and Moraxella) and viruses (influenza, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus)
• Treat AOM with high dose amoxicillin (cephalexin or azithromycin if penicillin allergy) or amoxicillin-clavulanate. Avoid complications like mastoiditis or tympanic membrane perforation

Sources:

• Pediatrics 2013, https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-3488
• Stat Pearls 2023, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470332/ 
• World Journal of Pediatrics 2024, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-023-00716-8 
• University of Illinois Chicago: https://dig.pharmacy.uic.edu/faqs/2022-2/december-2022-faqs/what-evidence-supports-the-recommendation-for-high-dose-amoxicillin-in-children-with-acute-otitis-media/