How Is Acute Otitis Media Diagnosed?
One or more of the following approaches may be used by your child’s doctor to diagnose AOM:
Otoscope
Your child’s doctor examines your child’s ear with the aid of an otoscope to search for: eardrum rupture, ear swelling, blood pus, air bubbles, and fluid in the middle ear
Tympanometry
Your child’s doctor will perform a tympanometry test on them to measure the air pressure in their ears and check for ruptured eardrums.
Reflectometry
The doctor will use a tiny device that emits sound close to your child’s ear during the reflectometry test. The doctor for your child can listen to the sound that is reflected back from the ear to discover if there is fluid inside.