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Otitis media
Acute ear infections account for 15 - 30 million visits to the doctor each year in the U.S. In fact, ear infections are the most common reason why an American child sees the doctor. Furthermore, the rate of acute otitis media has been rising over the past decades.
Acute Otitis Media (AOM). About two-thirds of children will have a least one attack of AOM by age 3, and a third of these children will have at least 3 episodes. Boys are more likely to have infections than girls.
AOM generally affects children ages 6 - 18 months. The earlier a child has a first ear infection, the more susceptible they are to recurrent episodes (for instance, 3 or more episodes within a 6-month period).
As children grow, however, the structures in their ears enlarge and their immune systems become stronger. By 16 months, the risk for recurrent infections rapidly decreases. After age 5, most children have outgrown their susceptibility to any ear infections.
Otitis Media with Effusion. OME is very common in children aged 6 months to 4 years, with about 90% of children having OME at some point. More than 50% of children have OME before the age of 1, and more than 60% by age 2.
Ear infections are more likely to occur in the fall and winter. The following conditions also put children at higher risk for ear infection:
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