The Parent's Complete Guide to Ear Infections

390 Pages·1997·0.93 MB·English

by  Alan R. Greene

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Page 1
The Parent's Complete Guide to Ear Infections
Page 2
OTHER BOOKS FROM THE PEOPLE'S MEDICAL SOCIETY
Allergies: Questions You Have. . .Answers You Need
Asthma: Questions You Have. . .Answers You Need
Hearing Loss: Questions You Have. . .Answers You Need
Self-Care: Your Family Guide to Symptoms and How to Treat Them
So You're Going to Be a Mother
Take This Book to the Hospital With You
Take This Book to the Pediatrician With You
What to Do When It Hurts: Self-Diagnosis and Rehabilitation of
Common Aches and Pains
Your Complete Medical Record
Page 3
The Parent's Complete Guide to Ear Infections
by Alan R. Greene, M.D.
People's Medical Society
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Page 4
The People's Medical Society is a nonprofit consumer health organ-
ization dedicated to the principles of better, more responsive, and less
expensive medical care. Organized in 1983, the People's Medical
Society
puts previously unavailable medical information into the hands of
con-
sumers so that they can make informed decisions about their own
health care.
Membership in the People's Medical Society is $20 a year and in-
cludes a subscription to the People's Medical Society Newsletter. For
in-
formation, write to the People's Medical Society, 462 Walnut Street,
Allentown, PA 18102, or call 610-770-1670.
This and other People's Medical Society publications are available
for quantity purchase at discount. Contact the People's Medical
Society
for details.
Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to
distinguish their
products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear
in this
book and the People's Medical Society was aware of a trademark
claim, the des-
ignations have been printed in initial capital letters (e.g., Q-Tip).
© 1997 by Alan R. Greene
Printed in the United States of America
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
trans-
mitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photo-
copy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system,
without the
written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Greene, Alan R., 1959
The parent's complete guide to ear infections / by Alan R. Greene.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-882606-29-9 (pbk.)
1. Otitis media in childrenPopular works. I. Title
RF225.G74 1997
618.92'09784dc21 97-8335
CIP
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0
First printing, September 1997
Cover photography: Cheryl L. Greene
Page 5
Very few people today have heroes who
don't eventually disappoint. I'm fortunate
that John and Gwen Greene, my parents,
are heroes whose shine only increases
with time. This, my first book, is dedicated
to them from the depth of my soul.
Page 7
Contents
Acknowledgments 9
Introduction Why an Entire Book on Ear Infections? 11
1 21
The Normal Ear
2 25
What Is an Ear Infection?
3 29
What Causes Ear Infections?
4 37
Who Gets Ear Infections and Why?
5 53
Diagnosis
6 69
Initial Treatment
7 105
Alternative Treatments
8 117
Ongoing Treatment
9 131
Surgical Therapies
10 155
Complications
11 173
Prevention
Epilogue 187
Glossary 189
Index 203
Page 9
Acknowledgments
Deep thanks to Bill Adler, of Adler and Robin Books, Inc., who
conceived of this book, contacted me, and offered me the opportunity
to write it. He planted the seed. Thanks to my wife and parents for
believing in me and to the many "HouseCalls" readers whose
questions convinced me of the need for this book. They prepared the
soil. No project like this can grow to fruition without the care and
nurturance of many people. Thanks to Harry Verby, M.D., Patricia
Soong, M.D., Karen Lee, M.D., Alger Chapman, M.D., and Jeanne
Vadhanasindhu, M.D., my colleagues at A.B.C. Pediatrics, for their
care and flexibility. Thanks also to the staff at A.B.C. for working
with my scheduling difficulties in a cheerful way. Thanks to Garrett,
Kevin, Claire, and Austinthe greatest children anywhere. Thanks to
Cheryl and Christine, the other two-thirds of the "HouseCalls" team,
without whom I wouldn't even be writing. What gems they are!
Thanks to John and Gwen Greene, Kris Lowe, and again Cheryl for
reading the manuscript and offering many needful suggestions.
Thanks to Mervyn R. Blas, Kris Lowe, Pharm.D., and