Remembering the days of mockery and pains which felt like swords piercing through the heart of a weak soul,all shuddered away as a new ray of hope shown with its amazing glory. Struggling through the pain of being childless was so hard on Nina but finally those days were gone; how time flies.
There comes the deafening sound of a car horn which drew Nina lost mind into reality. Clutching her baby to her chest, she hurriedly went outside to welcome her husband. How was your day honey; fine dearie her husband replied, taking his little daughter from her mother to lavish her with a fatherly love.
Little Pearl is just six (6) months old her mother wondered; what on earth is coming out like a fluid-like substance from her child's right ear amidst sob. She noticed Pearl has been restless for some day now, crying continuously, tugging at her ears, and running temperature.
Honey, I noticed something in pearl ear during the early hour of today, Nina announced. What can that be, asked her husband. Something like a fluid-like was dripping out from her right ear, replied Nina. He pulled little Pearl closer to observe the ridiculous findings.
We must see a paediatric otolaryngologist said her husband. Oto.. lar.. struggling to pronounce it, yeah a paediatric ENT (ear,nose,and throat) doctor, said her husband pitifully. Ok, I must go the hospital tomorrow, replied Nina.
*****
The antiseptic smell of the hospital has always been a torture to Nina, but she must patiently wait to find out the root of what she saw in her baby's ear. Madam Nina!! shouted a nurse who seemed running out of patience. Oh yes, Nina stood up heading to the doctor's office.
How are you doing madam, a doctor in her late forties asked Nina. Doing well ma'am, Nina replied. Without waiting for response Nina began to explain every detail of what she observed with her child.
After listening to Nina the doctor sighed. Ok ma, I'm going to perform a pneumatic otoscopy examination, said the doctor. What is that? Nina asked curiously. Pneumatic otoscopy is an examination or assessment that allows determination of the mobility of a patient's tympanic membrane (eardrum) in response to pressure changes,in order to detect where exactly the infection is evolving from, said the doctor.
Nina was asked to hold her child in a good sitting position on her lap. An instrument called otoscope was inserted into the ear carnal, absence of mobility was noticed due to the presence of the fluid in her middle ear and her eardrum was red and bulging.
Madam Nina, your baby is suffering from ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA, said the doctor. What could have caused it Nina asked, worried about the name accredited to such an ailment.
Ok, let me explain in a level you will understand, Nina listened with rapt attention. Otitis media is an ear infection caused by a virus or bacterium in the middle ear. The eustachian tubes in the becomes swollen and blocked causing fluids to build up in the middle ear. The fluid can become infected and the symptoms of ear infection begins to occur; which are earache, fever, restlessness, irritation, tugging at the ear e.t.c. Children are more prone to this disease than adults because their eustachian tubes are narrower.
What causes it Nina cut in, do you water-feed your baby while she lay down? asked the doctor. Yes ma'am Nina replied, that is one of the causes, it can also be caused by cold, exposure to air pollution, sore throat, and other respiratory diseases. If left untreated it can lead to permanent hearing loss, ruptured eardrums, and other respiratory infections, the doctor added.
How then can it be treated Nina asked. Your baby will be observed closely for several days to see if the condition goes away on its own, but if the symptoms still persist, she will be administered some ear drops, and antibiotics. If any reoccurring symptoms comes up again, a surgery will be performed called *myringotomy* with ear tube placement, said the doctor. What is myringotomy? Nina asked. Myringotomy involves making a small opening in the eardrum to relive the pressure from the middle ear and the fluid will be drained out,the ear tubes will be inserted for 6-18 months and it will fall off on it own, the doctor replied. The hole in the eardrum will heal on its own, the doctor added.
That is why mothers are advised to breastfeed their children up to one(1) year of age because the breast milk contain lot of anti-bacteria properties, it is also advisable to give your children the proper vaccines, the doctor added.
Thank you very much doctor, Nina stood up to take her leave.
Writer Details:Meekness✍️
Location:University of Ibadan,Oyo State,Nigeria🇳🇬.
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