This study was designed to describe those indicators for the surgical insertion of pressure-equalization (PE) tubes given highest priority in clinical practice by board-certified otolaryngologists. A questionnaire was mailed to 1000 otolaryngologists practicing in the United States. The respondents rated the importance of 22 items on a six-point scale. These items were grouped into four categories: medical history, physical examination, audiologic evaluation, and related factors. The return rate was 52.7%. The five items receiving the highest ratings were "persistence of fluid for 3 or more months per episode," "presence of speech-language delay," "bilateral conductive hearing loss of 20 dB or more," "total number of episodes of otitis media," and "lack of response to suppressive antibiotic therapy."

While there is agreement in the literature that otitis media is an extremely prevalent disorder among young children, there is disagreement as to the effect that otitis media has on language development. The lack of definitive research attests to the complexity of the issue and to the need for continued research. This study examined the relationship between an early history of otitis media and the language development of a group of "late talkers". The 28 toddlers in this group, while otherwise normal, were late to begin to speak. Each of the subjects was placed into one of two subgroups, depending upon their reported experience with otitis media. When the children were four years old, they were evaluated using the TOLD-P and a spontaneous speech sample. A similar group of 25 children who had a history of normal language development was also examined.

No description available.

Researchers have long been concerned with the effects of otitis media on speech and language acquisition because of the high correlation of a mild to moderate hearing loss during the time period that fluid (effusion) may be in the middle ear. Middle-ear effusion would prevent many of the auditory messages from accurately reaching the nervous system (Zinkus, 1986). Deprived of the ability to discern the subtle acoustic differences that provide information for phonetic contrasts, a child's speech acquisition may differ from children who do not experience such losses.

This study examined the extent to which mothers of children with and without otitis-media histories differ in their perceptions of children's social behavior. Twenty-three mothers, each with two children aged 2 1/2 to 9 (30 boys, 16 girls) participated. Mothers' average age was 34. Two-thirds were full-time homemakers. Most belonged to middle-class Anglo socioeconomic status. Early recurrent otitis media (EROM) children (n = 27) had had four or more episodes before age 2 and a first episode before age 1. Mild or no otitis media (MNOM) children (n = 19) had had either fewer than four episodes before age 2 or none before age 1. Mothers rated children's social behaviors on the two-part Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory. Its intensity scale score represented frequencies with which a child showed any of 36 behaviors. Its problem scale score was the number of behaviors a mother perceived as a problem for her. Intensity scale score means did not differ significantly for EROM and MNOM children [F(1, 44) = 1.56, p ≥ .05], suggesting no differences in the frequency of occurrence of problem behaviors for the two groups. Problem scale score means differed significantly [F(1, 44) = 5.46, p < .05], suggesting that mothers perceived more behavioral problems in EROM than in MNOM children. Thirteen EROM children had conduct problems (scores above either scale's cutoff), versus two MNOM children. A significant relationship between otitis-media history and conduct problems was shown by a chi-square test [χ² (df=1)= 5.57, p < .05 . Children's age, sex, and birth order did not influence mothers' ratings. Mothers' general anxiety, measured by the Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, influenced their ratings of children's social behaviors on each individual ECBI scale, but did not have an effect after children were described as having conduct-problem or normal behavior. EROM children were rated as having conduct problems significantly more often than were MNOM children. The findings have restricted generalizability, but suggest that psychologists, pediatricians, and speech/hearing pathologists and clinicians may need to help mothers reduce children's conduct problems related to early otitis media.

Otitis media and consequent hearing loss are known to be high in Koori communities. Previous research on otitis media in Koori communities has focused on its identification, treatment and management. Little research has focused on the prevention of otitis media. Victorian Aboriginal communities often have small populations which result in small sample sizes for research projects. Consequently use of traditional quantitative methods to measure of change arising from health interventions can be problematic. The aim of the research was to describe Koori children’s otitis media risk factors using a Koori research method in order to develop, implement and evaluate preventative interventions.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1979.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1979.

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund University, 1994. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted.

Thesis (doctoral)--Lund University, 1994. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted.