Otitis media with effusion: academic attainment and socioeconomic background

In a recent paper (Brooks, D.N., Otitis media with effusion and academic attainment, Int. J. Pediat. Otorhinolaryngol., 12 (1986) 39-47) the relationship between severity of otitis media with effusion (O.M.E.) in childhood and eventual outcome was explored in a group of 64 individuals. Although the severity of O.M.E. was related to time loss from education through sickness during the first school years, no effect on academic attainment levels was found. Further data have been obtained on the socio-economic groupings (S.E.G.) of 59 of the children. No correlation was found between S.E.G. and either time lost from school through sickness or severity of O.M.E. A strong correlation was found between S.E.G. and eventual academic attainment level.