Parents with young children, take note: prevent your little ones from contracting otitis media, as delayed treatment may lead to hearing impairment. A survey on "Infant Otitis Media and Vaccine Awareness" revealed that nearly 80% of parents lack sufficient knowledge about otitis media, with a staggering 50% holding the misconception that "water entering the ears during bathing or shampooing causes otitis media."Doctors indicate that over 80% of young children experience at least one episode of otitis media before age three. Clinically diagnosing otitis media is challenging, and failure to detect and treat it promptly may result in hearing loss, impacting language acquisition and development in young children.
Eighty percent of bacterial acute otitis media in children is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi). Given that the recurrence rate of otitis media in children is as high as 50%, some physicians choose antibiotics as the first-line treatment to prevent worsening of the condition. However, this approach may contribute to antibiotic resistance issues.Otitis media treatment has become a major contributor to antibiotic resistance in children.
The most common symptoms of otitis media are fever and ear pain. Younger children, unable to express themselves verbally, may exhibit behaviors like rubbing their ears. Statistics show that each episode disrupts family routines for an average of three weeks. Infants may cry intensely due to ear discomfort and lose their appetite. Parents often need to take time off work to care for the child and attend follow-up appointments, resulting in substantial direct and indirect costs associated with otitis media.
Experts explain that starting at six weeks of age, newborns can receive pneumococcal vaccines to prevent otitis media, while also guarding against invasive pneumococcal pneumonia.The 10-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine, which covers ten pneumococcal serotypes and Haemophilus influenzae components, is currently the most effective vaccine for preventing acute otitis media. Parents may consider vaccination based on their child's health status.
Beyond vaccination, reducing risk factors in daily life is crucial: exclusively breastfeed infants for the first six months, ensure upright feeding positions, and minimize exposure to secondhand smoke.