Acute otitis media : summary NICE guidance children and young people under 18

The table provides a clear and concise overview of the key management points for acute otitis media (AOM) in children and young people. It emphasizes that AOM is a self-limiting infection mainly affecting children, often caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria. Symptoms usually resolve within a week without antibiotics, and serious complications are rare.

Key Points	Details
Acute Otitis Media (AOM) Overview	AOM is usually a self-limiting infection, mainly in children.
	It can be caused by viruses and bacteria, often both at once.
Symptoms	Symptoms typically last about 3 days but can extend to 1 week.
	Most children and young people recover within 3 days without antibiotics.
Complications	Serious complications like mastoiditis are rare.
Pain Management	Offer regular doses of paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain.
	Use the appropriate dose based on the child's age or weight.
Eardrops	Consider eardrops with anaesthetic and analgesic if no immediate antibiotics are prescribed.
	Only if there's no eardrum perforation or otorrhea (ear discharge).
Review Treatment	Reevaluate if symptoms persist or worsen after 7 days.
Decongestants and Antihistamines	These don't typically help with AOM symptoms.
Reassessment	Reassess if symptoms worsen significantly, considering other diagnoses and prior antibiotic use.

Children and young people less...

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