Chronic Otitis Media Affects Cognition too!

When 7-year-old Radha frequently failed to respond to questions in class, her teacher labeled her a dullard. The truth was Radha had often not heard the question. Following an untreated middle ear infection in early childhood, Radha had a fluid collection in her ear causing a partial, undetected hearing loss.

Otitis Media or infection of the middle ear affects at least two-thirds of all children before the age of one. By the time they are 3-year-olds, nearly 50 percent have had at least three infections say international statistics. The infections are often a result of a sequence of events beginning with an upper respiratory infection leading of the creation of a negative pressure in the middle ear and the sucking or aspiration of viruses and bacteria from the non-pharynx to the middle ear.

When left untreated or badly managed, Otitis Media affects cognition, language, speech and emotional development apart from causing hearing loss.

The incidence in India has increased in the past two decades due to various factors, including pollution. Despite this, there is little awareness and indigenous knowledge about the condition.

Now, a virtual Centre for Otitis Media Research and Education (CORE), which has evolved in Bangalore, and includes ENT doctors from all over the country aims to increase awareness on infections of the middle ear.

"There is a need to treat middle ear infections appropriately and in time. A consensus on management of Otitis Media among family physicians, pediatricians and ENT surgeons will help reduce cost of therapy, curtail emergence of drug resistant types and prevent disability," says ENT consultant at Manipal Hospital and Chief architect of CORE Dr E V Raman.

"While there are set principles of treatment for other infections, people tend to give different types of medicine for Otitis Media. CORE hopes to put out an ideal way of treating this infection," says Dr Vinay Kumar, a consultant ENT surgeon at Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.

CORE hopes to fill the knowledge gap that exists regarding Otitis Media - right from the patient to the researcher. "It will serve as a resource centre for all issues on Otitis Media. It will collect, store and disseminate information on the infections through a virtual set up," says Dr. Raman.

Fifteen institutions from across the country have now come under the CORE umbrella. As part of its first project, CORE has created material on Otitis Media for doctors who are involved with treating infections of the middle ear. This report was published in the Times of India, New Delhi, August 9, 2003.