Otitis media, also known as ear infection, is a very common phenomenon among children aged seven months to fifteen years. More specifically, this type of ear infection is classified as inflammation of the middle ear and subcategorized as acute otitis or chronic otitis media. It starts with a bacterial or viral infection in the throat that spreads to the ear, causing fluid to back up into the middle part of the ear. “It is estimated that by the age of two, all children in the United States currently below this age will have had a total of 9.3 million episodes of acute otitis media, and that approximately 17 per one hundred of the children will have three. or multiple episodes over a six-month period (Berman 1995). Clearly, otitis media is one of the most commonly diagnosed and treated types of illnesses in the United States. Because of its common diagnosis, it is not surprising that "the annual cost of medical and surgical treatment of otitis in the United States is estimated at $3 to $4 billion (Berman 1995). Regarding the epidemiology of otitis media, there are risk factors, transmission variations and events involved. For example, since statistics indicate that otitis media is much more common in young children, age can be called a risk factor. In addition, young children interact with each other in schools, daycares, nurseries and of course within the home between family members (if families are made up of many children). Therefore, another risk factor associated with otitis media may be the location and environment in which the disease can be acquired. Additionally, adults are less likely to get ear infections because children have a shorter, more horizontal ear...... middle of paper ......mage, mastoiditis, cholesteatoma, epidural abscess, tympanosclerosis, paralysis of the face, and even speech conflicts. Antibiotic treatment can be controversial and it is essential that healthcare providers correctly assess and diagnose the symptoms and signs of otitis media, as well as accurately follow a plan of care that is best for the patient.BibliographyM .D., SB (1995). Otitis media in children. The New England Journal of Medicine, 1(332), 1560-1565. Accessed December 5, 2011 from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199506083322307M.D., SJ, Morita, N., Cureoglu, S., Schachern, PA, Deroee, AF, Tsuprun, V ., et al. (2010). Cochlear pathology of human temporal bones with otitis media. Acta Otolaryngol, 130(4), 472-476. Accessed December 5, 2011 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2925651/