Middle Ear Fluid

My child has middle ear fluid. How is that treated?

Treatment options for middle ear fluid include observation, tube surgery, or adenoid surgery. Because a treatment that works for one child may not work for another, your pediatrician can help you decide what treatment is best for your child. If one treatment doesn't work, another treatment can be tried. Ask your pediatrician about the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of each treatment.

Your pediatrician will decide if treatment is needed based on several factors including the following:

Treatments not recommended

A number of treatments are not recommended for young children with middle ear fluid. These include decongestants and antihistamines; prolonged, frequent, or low-dose courses of antibiotics; and steroid nasal sprays.

Surgical treatments not recommended include myringotomy (draining of fluid without placing a tube) and tonsillectomy (removal of the tonsils). If your pediatrician suggests one of these surgeries, it may be for another medical reason. Ask your pediatrician why your child needs the surgery. If you are still unsure, you may want to talk to another doctor.

Other treatment options

No recommendation can be made regarding complementary and alternative medicine treatments, including herbal medicines, for middle ear fluid. There isn't enough evidence showing that these treatments work. Some of these treatments have major risks.

No recommendation can be made regarding allergy management treatments for middle ear fluid. There isn't enough evidence showing a cause-and-effect relationship between allergy and middle ear fluid. Also, the benefits of treatment are uncertain, there are major potentially harmful effects, and treatments can be expensive.