The medical condition of mastoiditis in children results from infection of mastoid bone. This disease is classified as acute and chronic mastoiditis on the basis of degree to which it causes damage. Information pertaining to symptoms, causes and treatment measures are presented below.
The mastoiditis disease is caused by infection of the mastoid bone. In this disease, the spaces between mastoid bones are infected. Occurrence of swelling and experience of pain are the main symptoms of mastoiditis. The other symptoms exhibited by patients are irritability and diarrhea. The condition of mastoiditis can be classified into two types i.e. acute and chronic mastoiditis. The acute form of this disease can be easily treated with the help of medications. Chronic mastoiditis on the other hand is quite difficult to manage. In the chronic form of mastoiditis, the discharge or pus oozes out of an orifice/hole in eardrums. This kind of drainage is difficult to stop. Moreover, the treatment of chronic mastoiditis with antibiotics only offers a temporary relief.
Facts about Mastoiditis in Children
The facts about mastoiditis can be found in this article through information about symptoms, causes, treatment, prognosis and other aspects of this disease. In this disease, ears are the entry points of infection. Examples of bacteria which cause infection and thereby lead to the development of mastoiditis are as follows: Haemophilus influenza, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus and Moraxella catarrhalis. The disease-causing microbes enter spaces between mastoid bones via middle ear. This medical condition if left untreated or not treated in a timely manner can result into many complications. The complications that tend to arise from mastoiditis in children are labyrinthitis, Bezold’s abscess and facial-nerve palsy. The medical condition of labyrinthitis results from inflammation of labyrinth. Bezold’s abscess on the other hand is a condition in which pus gets collected around the sternocleidomastoid muscle.
Symptoms
Deformity of ears is one of the commonly observed mastoiditis symptoms in children. This deformity is seen in the form of the ear being pushed out slightly. The symptoms like swelling and redness of ears indicate that the disease is not serious. The discharge of pus can add to problems and make the situation much more complicated. It is observed that the body temperature rises in extreme cases. Mastoiditis if not treated in a timely manner can lead to complications that are mentioned above. If this disease spreads to the brain, there is a possibility of development of problems like meningitis. Brain abscesses also is one of the complications which results from mastoiditis. The chronic form of mastoiditis can result into the development of benign tumors. This tumor of chronic mastoiditis is referred to as cholesteatoma. Now let us get into the details of diagnosis of this disease.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of this medical condition is conducted by means of a thorough examination. Physical examination of ears is performed with the help of an instrument called otoscope. Eardrums and outer parts of the ear are examined in the process of diagnosis. Tests and scans are performed in order to verify whether the condition is mastoiditis or some other minor problem. Checking the white blood cell (WBC) count is an important part of mastoiditis diagnosis.
Treatment
The use of intravenous antibiotics is commonly made in the treatment of mastoiditis. In most cases, the problem is solved or at least controlled with the use of antibiotics. Myringotomy is the procedure used in case, the antibiotic treatment measures fall short of curing the problem. The myringotomy treatment is aimed at removing the pus which accumulates in the middle ear.
Use of antibiotic medications and cleaning of ears are the treatment measures implemented for curing mastoiditis. This disease can be easily controlled if the treatment with antibiotics is conducted in a timely manner. Complications tend to arise only if this medical condition is neglected. It is therefore, necessary to take the required action in determining whether the problem of mastoiditis in children is acute or chronic in nature. Depending on this diagnosis, appropriate measures should be taken for treatment.
