Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) in Urban Pediatric Population in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Clinical Study

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common condition affecting children. It is one of the most common causes for reduced hearing in pediatric age group leading to various learning disabilities including delayed speech development. The aim of this study was to find out various epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for developing OME and various treatment modalities depending on the clinical features and their outcomes in urban pediatric population. A prospective comparative study was done in 100 children taken 50 as cases and 50 as controls for a period of 2 years. The risk factors, common presenting features and the examination and investigational findings (tympanometry) of the study condition were compared among the cases and controls. Among the 50 cases, 28 children were treated medically and 22 underwent surgical treatment in the form of Myringotomy and Grommet insertion. The patients were followed up-to 6 months in both groups.