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From the A.T. Still Research Institute and Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine of A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, Mo (Degenhardt); and the Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and the Human Performance & Biomechanics Laboratory at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pa (Kuchera).

Address correspondence to Brian F. Degenhardt, DO, A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, 800 W Jefferson St, Kirksville, MO 63501-1443. E-mail: bdegenhardt{at}atsu.edu

Objective: To study the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment in routine pediatric care for children with recurrent acute otitis media.

Study Design: Pilot cohort study with 1-year posttreatment follow-up. At follow-up, subjects' parents or legal guardians and their referring and/or family physicians were contacted to determine recurrence of otitis media since intervention.

Subjects: A referred and volunteer sample of pediatric patients ranging in age from 7 months to 35 months with a history of recurrent otitis media (N=8).

Intervention: For 3 weeks, all subjects received weekly osteopathic structural examinations and osteopathic manipulative treatment. This intervention was performed concurrently with traditional medical management.

Results: Five (62.5%) subjects had no recurrence of symptoms. Of the three remaining subjects in this cohort, one had a bulging tympanic membrane, another had four episodes of otitis media, and the last underwent surgery after recurrence at 6 weeks posttreatment. Closer analysis of the posttreatment course of the last two subjects indicates that there may have been a clinically significant decrease in morbidity for a period of time after intervention.

Conclusion: The present study indicates that osteopathic manipulative treatment may change the progression of recurrent otitis media, a finding that supports the need for additional research in this area.