chronic mastoiditis

[Guest guest]

I deleted the original post from someone asking about Chronic Mastoiditis,

but I asked my friend who is an audiologist and here's what she had to say:

 

chronic mastoiditis is serious. it can lead to meningitis. it can also

lead to nothing more than mastoiditis. the thin, aerated bones around the

ear (side of the head) have an infection and that infection has a direct

path to the meneges (lining of the brain). if indeed the child has a skull

fracture, s/he is even more prone to the infection spreading.

 

did they culture the infection?

 

this child should be seen by an OTOLOGIST (not just a regular ENT, an MD who

*just* does ears). if you find out where the family lives, i can send you a

few names in or near their city. if they live in a major city, they may be

able to even find a pediatric otologist. [for exampleif they live near SF,

they should see Anil Lalwani at UCSF. if they live near Rochester MN, they

should see Colin Driscoll at Mayo. if they live near Baltimore, they should

see John Niparko at Johns Hopkins].

 

the child will need antibiotic therapy and depending on the duration and

extent, may be considered for a mastoidectomy where they take out the

infected bone under general anesthesia. HOWEVER, this would only be

considered following appropriate antibiotic therapy and the MD would try to

avoid this if at all possible.

 

this child should also have a hearing test before, during and after the

course of treatment recommended by the MD. they should see a licensed

pediatric audiologist with " AuD " , " CCC/A " or " F/AAA " after their degree/name

*if *possible. if not, an audiologist will do.

 

i would encourage this parent to INSIST on being seen immediately unlesss

the ER MD has already given antibiotics in which case, being seen soon will

do.

 

best of luck to them.

 

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" I believe reality is a marvelous joke staged for my edification and

amusement, and everybody is working very hard to make me happy. " --Terence

McKenna