BackgroundAcute otitis media (AOM) in children is a common pediatric illness which can cause significant pain and discomfort. For families of children with recurrent AOM there are additional burdens to consider, including but not limited to lost workdays, direct costs for medical care and follow up treatments, and indirect costs like childcare and transportation. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents also have to contend with the added burden of balancing their child’s needs to seek medical care and the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The aim of this study was to characterize working parents’ experiences around their children’s ear infections during the COVID-19 era. MethodsThis was a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with working parents of children with recurrent ear infections. Using grounded theory methods, content analysis was applied to identify themes that described the parental experience of AOM during the COVID-19 pandemic. ResultsEleven parents were interviewed. Notable themes were: parents described a lack of confidence in their children's AOM diagnosis or treatment; frequent doctor's visits for quick middle ear checks were inconvenient and unsatisfactory, and this was exacerbated by both COVID-19 and pressures from work-life demands; and parents described a desire for more diagnostic information at home and remote capability for ear infection telehealth check-ups. DiscussionThis study identified working parents’ challenges and dissatisfaction with taking their child to a doctor and their desire for alternative screening methods for their child's ear infections at home, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians might address working parents’ needs with validation of their difficulties, while collaborating with parents on novel approaches to remote monitoring of ear health.

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