Abstract The history and clinical assessment of children with symptoms, which may be associated with otitis media, are used todifferentiate between AOM, OME and non-otological pathology. Almost half of these children will have three or more ear infections during their first 3 years. It is estimated that medical costs and lost wages because of otitis media amount to $5billion a year in the United States. Although otitis media is primarily a disease of infants and young children, it can also affect adults. [avf_view name="Article Addons" view-id="66d98451c48e3"]