Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research Vol.53 34-43 February 2010. doi:10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0250)
© American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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Articles

Long-Term Effects of Early-Life Otitis Media on Language Development

Anne Zumach
Ellen Gerrits
Michelene Chenault
Lucien Anteunis
Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands

Contact author: Anne Zumach, Maastricht University Medical Center, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, P. Debyelaan 25, Maastricht 6229HX, the Netherlands. E-mail: anne.zumach{at}mumc.nl.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the long-term consequences of early-life otitis media (OM) and the associated hearing loss (HL) on language skills of school-aged children.

Method: In a prospective study, the middle-ear status of 65 Dutch healthy-born children was documented every 3 months during their first 2 years of life; language comprehension and production were evaluated at 27 months and again at 7 years.

Results: The positive relation that was found between OM-related HL and language development at 27 months could no longer be discerned at school age. Accordingly, parent-reported HL between 2 and 7 years had no effect on scores at school age.

Conclusion: The present study shows that negative consequences of early-life OM or the underlying HL on language comprehension and production appear to be resolved by the age of 7. It also shows that parent-reported HL between 2 and 7 years is not related to language skills at school age.

KEY WORDS: otitis media, language disorders, long-term results, hearing loss, developmental outcomes


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