Here is some info about Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion you may want to read:
http://www.ehealthmd.com/library/middleear/MEI_otitis.html
Here are the American Academy of Family Physicians recommendations
as of 2004:
http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/clinical/clinicalrecs/otitismedia.html
I quote:
The subcommittee also made recommendations that 4) hearing testing be conducted when OME persists for 3 months or longer, or at any time that language delay, learning problems, or a significant hearing loss is suspected in a child with OME; 5) children with persistent OME who are not at risk should be reexamined at 3- to 6-month intervals until the effusion is no longer present, significant hearing loss is identified, or structural abnormalities of the eardrum or middle ear are suspected; and 6) when a child becomes a surgical candidate,
tympanostomy tube insertion* is the preferred initial procedure. Adenoidectomy should not be performed unless a distinct indication exists (nasal obstruction, chronic adenoiditis); repeat surgery consists of adenoidectomy plus myringotomy, with or without tube insertion. Tonsillectomy alone or myringotomy alone should not be used to treat OME.
The subcommittee made negative recommendations that 1) population-based screening programs for OME not be performed in healthy, asymptomatic children and 2) antihistamines and decongestants are ineffective for OME and should not be used for treatment; antimicrobials and corticosteroids do not have long-term efficacy and should not be used for routine management.
The subcommittee gave as options that 1) tympanometry can be used to confirm the diagnosis of OME and 2) when children with OME are referred by the primary clinician for evaluation by an otolaryngologist, audiologist, or speech-language pathologist, the referring clinician should document the effusion duration and specific reason for referral (evaluation, surgery), and provide additional relevant information such as history of AOM and developmental status of the child.
The subcommittee made no recommendations for 1)
complementary and alternative medicine as a treatment for OME based on a lack of scientific evidence documenting efficacy and 2) allergy management as a treatment for OME based on insufficient evidence of therapeutic efficacy or a causal relationship between allergy and OME. Last, the panel compiled a list of research needs based on limitations of the evidence reviewed.
You should have your child seen by a Pediatric ENT. I don't believe you will win with
dehumidifiers as there is no evidence to this effect (see alternative methods above).
You may win with less smoke however so keep your lit cigarettes away from your kid.
*= tympanostomy tube insertion = grommet insertion.
.It keeps reoccurring.I have been to the doctor twice this month and he said that if it does not clear up my sons fluid will have to be drained or grommets put in.i really dont know what this is except what wiki says.
