QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
According to NICE, a patient with otitis media with effusion without hearing loss should be monitored for 3 months, with regular examinations and audiology assessments if needed.
10023690
a
Watch and wait for a month
QuestionChoice
NICE advises to not prescribe corticosteroids for otitis media with effusion as there is no evidence that they change the outcome or the course of the disease. This patient needs to be monitored for another month as her symptoms should resolve spontaneously.
10023694
e
Prescribe prednisolone
QuestionChoice
As this patient has no fever or systemic upset, antibiotics are not needed. Otitis media with effusion usually resolves spontaneously without any treatment. Giving antibiotics unnecessarily might incur antimicrobial resistance.
10023691
b
Prescribe a 7-day course of amoxicillin
QuestionChoice
These may be offered to children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion and hearing loss instead of surgery. This patient does not have hearing loss and this is the first time she has experienced these symptoms, so it is not appropriate to give her hearing aids.
10023693
d
Hearing aids
QuestionChoice
NICE has certain criteria for referring a patient to ENT with otitis media: hearing loss or persistent foul-smelling discharge indicative of cholesteatoma. As this patient has none of these, there is no indication to refer to ENT.
10023692
c
Referral to ENT
Concept
Chapter
2693
5693
Otits Media
Topic
138
Ear, Nose & Throat
17136
An 8-year-old female is brought to the GP by her parents as she is repeatedly tugging on her left ear. She also complains of pain coming from that ear. There has been no fever or hearing loss and this is the first time she has been experiencing these symptoms. The symptoms have been going on for 2 months.

The GP performs otoscopy and sees a bulging tympanic membrane, indicating otitis media with effusion.

What is the management of this patient?
a