That’s troubling news for Maine parents and their children. If there’s a silver lining to this dark cloud it’s twofold: First, now we know. We can ask our doctors to check more closely for signs and symptoms of childhood cancers. Second, we have access to top-notch pediatric cancer centers here in the northeast.

If you have more questions about this study, log on to the government’s website at: http://www.cdc.gov/

Alison Wholey Mynick, RN, Esq. , June 4, 2008

Cholesteatoma can be fatal. It can cause deafness.  And it can arise from something as typical as a childhood ear infection. 

What is a Cholesteatoma?

Cholesteatomas are destructive lesions inside the skull that can wear away tissue and bone inside the skull.  If left untreated, a brain abscess or meningitis may take the life of a child.  Some children are born with a cholesteatoma that formed inside the skull during the pregnancy.  But cholesteatomas can form a direct result of a perforated or “burst” eardrum from an ear infection.  Sometimes, a child who has been treated for ear infection with the insertion of “ear tubes” may develop a cholesteatoma.   One sign of cholesteatoma is painless drainage of fluid from the ear. Hearing loss is another symptom of cholesteatoma, and may be accompanied by dizziness.  Frequently, the only sign a doctor will be able to see is an ear canal filled with a pus-like material.

If your child has been injured by  failure to diagnose a cholesteatoma, you may wish to call an attorney  with experience litigating such a case.  You may wish to call Briggs & Counsel.