Earache, a common symptom in children, causes many parents to seek medical attention. Aside from trauma and the discomfort that often accompanies viral infections of the upper respiratory tract, acute otitis media with effusion is the commonest cause of otalgia in infants and children. Proper management requires a team effort between the physician and the child's parents or caretaker. The physician must transmit to the parents a concise but thorough overview of the problem and a plan for management. This should include information on the pathophysiology of ear disease, its incidence, therapy and the potential adverse effects, and any measures that the parents may take to prevent recurrence. The primary responsibility for transmittal of this information lies with the physician. Ancillary medical personnel and communication aids (videotapes, computers, printed materials) should be utilized, if available, to reinforce the physician's "message."