children s health issues
Secretory Otitis Media in Children
Diagnosis
A doctor's examination of the eardrum Sometimes tympanometry Doctors diagnose secretory otitis media by looking for changes in the color and appearance of the eardrum and by gently blowing air into the ear using a rubber bulb to see whether the eardrum moves. If the eardrum does not move but there is no redness or bulging and the child has few symptoms, secretory otitis media is likely. If examination findings are unclear, doctors often do Testing . In tympanometry, a device containing a microphone and a sound source is placed snugly in the ear canal, and sound waves are bounced off the eardrum as the device varies the pressure in the ear canal. Doctors examine the nasal passages and throat in adolescents to check for tumors. 