Abstract
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.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 34-43 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Feb 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Developmental outcomes
- Hearing loss
- Language disorders
- Long-term results
- Otitis media