Incidence of excessive/impacted cerumen in individuals with mental retardation: a longitudinal investigation.
A major sequelae of impacted cerumen (earwax) is conductive hearing loss, which can be deleterious to linguistic, social, and intellectual development, particularly for individuals with mental retardation. The longitudinal incidence (12-year period) of excessive/impacted cerumen and related conductive hearing loss of 117 adults with mental retardation was examined. Results indicated a considerably higher incidence of excessive cerumen and cerumen impaction with associated conductive hearing loss in adults with mental retardation (28%) than in the general adult population (2% to 6%). Moreover, a strong propensity for recurrent cerumen impaction in the mentally retarded population was found. These findings were discussed in view of the management of cerumen impaction among individuals with mental retardation.
Crandell
C C
CC
Callier Center for Communication Disorders, University of Texas, Dallas 75235.
Roeser
R J
RJ
D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002571:Cerumen; D005260:Female; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006315:Hearing Loss, Functional; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male