Does Tympanometry Predict Antibiotic Usage in Acute Otitis Media?

Due to recent efforts to decrease antibiotic overuse, and reports of high rates of spontaneous resolution for clinically diagnosed Acute Otitis Media, most physicians now wait 48-72 hours before starting antibiotics for common ear infections. The investigators are interested to see if those patients with documented middle ear effusions, as determined by tympanometry, have higher rates of eventual antibiotic usage than those with normal tympanometry results. If there is a significant disparity between those with a positive tympanogram and those without the investigators may be able to identify a group that will benefit from antibiotics and a group that would not need treatment.