Behavior problems in otitis media.

For a common, largely benign and usually remitting condition such as children's middle ear disease, it is reasonable to pose the question: «What are the precise reasons for concern and intervention, and what is the impact of both the condition and the treatment-of-choice on quality of life?» Interest in the formal study of such problems has only recently emerged. 1,2 «Reasons for concern» do not correspond exactly with «clinical presentation,» which is the starting point of diagnosis and has been well-documented for otitis media with effusion (OME) over many years. Neither concept has generated much literature based on formal studies of OME. However, the reasons for concern and the clinical presentation overlap in terms of the history of the condition in a given case