Long-term communication deficiencies in children with otitis media during their first year of life.
A cohort of lower socio-economic children who experienced multiple episodes of otitis media (OM) during their first year of life were compared to a group of children who were largely free of OM during their first year. Both groups were followed until 9 years of age. The data indicate that some children with positive histories of OM performed poorer on a variety of communicative tasks across the 9 year age span than the children with the negative histories of OM. The results suggest that the effect of otitis media and its accompanying hearing loss on communication skills may extend throughout childhood.
Ruben
R J
RJ
Department of Otolaryngology, Rose F. Kennedy Center for Human Growth and Development, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. ruben@aecom.yu.edu
Wallace
I F
IF
Gravel
J
J
D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D012008:Recurrence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors