Keywords: acate otitis media, signs, symptoms

Abstract: Acute otitis media (AOM) affects 70% of children until3 years-old. The gold-standard tests are invasive and ur1practical for the majority of physicians involved with children. As AOM diagnosis is essentially clinical, it is incomprehensible why are so few studies quantifying the valor of the various signs and symptoms in AOM diagnosis. A sample of300 children attended in a private ENT clinic was studied concerning historical and physical aspects to establish the diagnostic power of isolated and combinated signs and symptoms in AOM. The four more important diagnostic signs was bulging, fluid level, acute perfuration and change uncolor of the tympanic membrana. The uniquesymptom that significantly contributes to AOM diagnosis was fever. We concluded that we can do an accurated and noninvasive AOM diagnosis correctly interpretating the otomicroscopic findings.