The difficulty with diagnosing otitis media with effusion is due to the fact that there may or may not be symptoms that lead you to suspect its presence. Also, there is great diversity in the appearance of the tympanic membrane with this condition. But with practice, you can learn to accurately diagnose and treat every case of OME. Symptoms of Otitis Media with Effusion Patients with OME are likely to have the following symptoms: Decreased hearing Fullness in the ear Earache Tinnitus But children with OME may or may not have any complaints. Parents sometimes report hearing loss or inattentiveness, but such complaints do not always correlate well with the child’s actual hearing. It may be safe to suspect OME in a child with history of: Recurrent upper respiratory infections Recurrent earache or other ear problems Mouth breathing or snoring However, … Read entire article »