Normative values for tympanometry in 7- and 24-month-old children

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Audiology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Tympanometry is essential for assessing middle ear function in children.
• Establishing normative data is critical for accurate interpretation of tympanometric variables.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normative values for static acoustic admittance (SAA), tympanometric peak pressure (TPP), and tympanometric width (TW) in 7- and 24-month-old children.
• To investigate the influence of age, sex, and medical history on these tympanometric variables.

Main Methods:

• Tympanometry was conducted on 2497 children during a prospective vaccine efficacy trial at 7 and 24 months of age.
• Analysis included tympanograms from healthy ears without recent otitis media.
• Normative values for SAA, TPP, and TW were calculated.

Main Results:

• Mean SAA was 0.25 cm³ at 7 months and 0.34 cm³ at 24 months.
• Tympanometric width (TW) decreased with age, while tympanometric peak pressure (TPP) remained stable.
• Higher SAA was observed in boys; recurrent otitis media and tympanostomy tubes affected SAA and TW at 24 months.

Conclusions:

• Age-specific normative values for SAA and TW are necessary for accurate clinical interpretation.
• Factors such as sex and history of otitis media influence tympanometric outcomes in young children.