[How I treat … an acute otitis media in children].

Acute otitis media (AOM) is very common in early childhood (inferior to 2 years). As a spontaneous recovery occurs in superior to 80 % of cases, antibiotics use should not be systematic. The aim of this review is to discuss AOM diagnostic criteria based on the latest recommendations, aiming a wiser use of antibiotics. Antibiotics use in a child with AOM should take into account the age, the severity of the disease, uni- or bilateral otitis, the presence or absence of otorrhea, and the presence of possible risk factors. Delayed antibiotics prescription might be considered in some specific circumstances. The first line antibiotic treatment is amoxicillin, and increased dosage is efficient in case of resistant pneumococci. Pain evaluation is important, and, in every treatment protocols for AOM, pain-relievers use is needed.