<s>[INST] What is a middle ear infection? [/INST] If you’re a parent you know about ear infections, a common condition that affects children at a very young age. The late night tears, the ear tugging, the repeated trips to the pediatrician, and the pink liquid antibiotic. It’s a familiar scene. As consistently predictable as this routine seems, acute otitis media (AOM) - the medical term for the most common type of ear infection - can be more complicated.

Acute otitis media (AOM) is a swollen and often infected middle ear where fluid builds behind the eardrum and leads to pain. Acute otitis media is also the most common diagnosis in a pediatrician’s office.

Roughly 25% of all infants in developed countries will have at least one ear infection by their first birthday. By age three, up to 90% of children have had an ear infection. Children in day care are more prone to ear infections, too. Source: DRUGS.COM. Link: https://www.drugs.com/article/middle-ear-infections-children.html. Field: Otolaryngology. Disease: Ear Infection </s>