Ear Diseases in Children Presenting at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: Ear diseases have been found to be important health problems among children. Nearly one third of Otorhinolaryngology outdoor attendance in the hospital comprised of paediatric age group. The problem is compounded by the fact that the children are economically dependent on their parents who are largely poor. However, the cause of hearing loss in children is more varied, including the etiologies. Objective: To find out ear diseases in children presenting at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, Bangladesh. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based prospective study was carried at Department of ENT & Head-Neck Surgery, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogura, Bangladesh from January to December 2021. 985 patients below sixteen years of age presented to the ENT OPD during the study period. Of them, 450 had ear disease. All patients aged 16 years or younger presenting with ear diseases to the ENT clinic of the hospital and seen by ENT surgeons were enrolled into the study. The diagnoses were made on the basis of history and clinical examination. Results were expressed in numbers and percentages. Results: Out of 985 patients below sixteen years of age presented to the ENT OPD during the study period. Of them, 450 had ear disease. Five hundred and sixty one (64.4%) were males. The male to female sex ratio was 1.8:1. Table 2 the various types of ear disease were as CSOM (Chronic Suppurative Ottitis Media), ASOM (Acute Suppurative Ottitis Media) and OME (Ottitis Media with Effusion). Wax (33.6%) followed by CSOM (18.7%) and ASOM (13.8%) were the most common ear diseases in paediatric patients in tertiary care centre. Ear diseases commonly found in this study were in the age group of 6-10 years and most ear diseases were more common in boys. It was found that wax (33.6%) was the most common diagnosed ear disease. Conclusion: Ear diseases are most common condition in ENT OPD among paediatric age group. Wax, CSOM and ASOM were the three most common ear diseases. Improvement of health care facilities and awareness amongst health care providers would definitely be helpful in reducing the prevalence of ear diseases in developing countries.