Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) in Undiagnosed Children Under the Age of 10 years

Hafsa Mustafa; Liaquat Ali; Humaira Saleem; Muhammad Rashid; Sheeza Munir; Barira Yasin

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v76i5.10961

Authors

Hafsa Mustafa Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Liaquat Ali Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Humaira Saleem Department of Radiology, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Muhammad Rashid Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Sheeza Munir Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Barira Yasin Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76i5.10961

Keywords:

Children, Foreign Body, Otitis Media with Effusion, Tympanometry, Wax

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) in undiagnosed children under the age of 10 years.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot, Pakistan from Feb to March 2023.

Methodology: During study 1589 children aged 2-10 years of both genders were included. Diagnosis of OME was established by type B and type C tympanogram. Data was collected through a validated questionnaire. Frequency and percentage were calculated for each variable.

Results: Tympanometry was performed among 983 children, while among 606 children tympanometry was not performed due wax or foreign body. Among 983 children, 46.8% had Type-A tympanogram in the right ear, 6.2% had Type-B and 8.9% had Type-C tympanogram in the right ear. Likewise, among 983 children, 47.5% had Type-A tympanogram in the left ear, 5.1% had Type-B and 9.3% had Type-C tympanogram in the left ear. Among these children, 24.4% had OME in their right ear while 23.2% in their left ear.

Conclusion: The prevalence of OME among school children was 24.4%. Regular screenings at school level could be helpful in early identification and appropriate management to prevent children from problems such as hearing difficulties, recurrent infection, sleep disturbance and poor academic performance caused by OME.

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