Acute Otitis Media in Children: Treatment, Follow-Up and Prevention - Related Resources

Cochrane reviews

• Once or twice daily doses of amoxicillin, with or without clavulanate, compared to three daily doses may not differ in clinical cure rates for the treatment of acute otitis media Once or Twice Versus Three Times Daily Amoxicillin for Acute Otitis Media.
• Children with acute otitis media (AOM) benefit from treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate as compared with placebo when strict criteria of AOM are used. However, adverse effects like diarrhea and skin rash are more common in antibiotic-treated groups and antibiotic treatment carries the risk of the development of bacterial resistance Antibiotics Versus Placebo for Acute Otitis Media in Children.
• Zinc supplementation may not reduce the incidence of otitis media in healthy children under the age of five years living in low- and middle-income countries Zinc Supplements for Preventing Otitis Media.
• Antibiotic treatment slightly promotes the resolution of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children compared with placebo, no treatment, or therapy of unproven effectiveness for OME Antibiotics for Otitis Media with Effusion in Children.
• Three to five days of antibiotics appear to be nearly as effective as 8 to 10 day courses for acute otitis media in children Short Course Antibiotics for Acute Otitis Media.
• Steroids (oral or topical intranasal) may not have beneficial effect on hearing loss associated with otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. Steroids for Otitis Media with Effusion in Children