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Hearing and verbal-cognitive abilities in high-risk preterm infants prone to otitis media with effusion
P S Pearce1, M A Saunders, D E Creighton
1Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada.
Insights
Preterm infants prone to recurrent ear infections may face language delays. Early medical intervention and hearing assessments are crucial for these high-risk children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Medicine
- Developmental Psychology
- Audiology
Background:
- Preterm infants with perinatal complications face risks for language difficulties.
- Recurrent otitis media is more prevalent in preterm infants compared to full-term infants.
- This study investigates the link between these risks in the preschool years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between otitis-prone conditions and language/cognitive outcomes in preterm children.
- To compare hearing abilities and language skills in otitis-prone preterm children versus non-otitis-prone controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study comparing 23 otitis-prone preterm children (cases) with 20 non-otitis-prone preterm children (controls).
- Participants had similar perinatal and demographic backgrounds.
- Audiometric assessment and language/verbal cognitive testing were conducted.
Main Results:
- Otitis-prone preterm children exhibited depressed hearing thresholds and abnormal tympanograms.
- Hearing was significantly poorer in the case group compared to controls.
- Cases showed poorer language and verbal cognitive abilities.
Conclusions:
- Preterm infants with recurrent otitis media are at risk for language and hearing impairments.
- Medical intervention, audiometric evaluation, and speech-language follow-up are vital for high-risk preterm infants.
- Early identification and management can mitigate long-term developmental challenges.
Abstract:
Preterm infants with a history of perinatal complications are at risk for language learning difficulties, and are more likely than full-term infants to show recurrent otitis media. The present study looks at the association between these risk outcomes in the preschool period. Twenty-three otitis-prone preterm children (referred to as cases) were compared with 20 non-otitis-prone children with similar perinatal and demographic characteristics (controls). Hearing thresholds were depressed for the cases in conjunction with abnormal tympanograms, and hearing was significantly poorer than for controls. Some language and verbal cognitive abilities were significantly poorer for the cases. The findings suggest the importance of medical intervention, audiometric assessment, and speech and language follow-up for high-risk premature infants prone to otitis media with effusion.