A University of Florida study shows that chronic ear infections in early childhood can lead to significant language and auditory processing problems later in life, highlighting the need for early and continued monitoring. I am.
Careful monitoring and prompt treatment can prevent bad outcomes.
Ear infections are a common childhood experience, but new research suggests parents should take these infections seriously to preserve their child’s language development. That’s because each ear infection causes fluid to build up behind the eardrum, which can impair your hearing.
Relationship between chronic ear infections and language development
new research from University of Florida Scientists have shown that when ear infections become chronic, this repeated temporary hearing loss can lead to defects in auditory processing and language development in children years later.
“Ear infections are so common that they are often dismissed as having no long-term effects. We should take all ear infections seriously,” said the lead researcher, said Susan Nitroer, university professor of speech, language, and hearing sciences in the College of Public Health and Health Professions. “Parents should be aware that their child may have painless ear infections and should work closely with their doctor to monitor their child closely.”
Research results on auditory processing and language skills
Nitroer and Joanna Loewenstein, a researcher at the UC Health Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, studied children between the ages of 5 and 10 with and without a history of chronic ear infections in childhood. They studied auditory processing and language development in 117 children.
On average, children who had multiple ear infections by age 3 had smaller vocabularies and had more difficulty matching similar-sounding words than children who had few or no ear infections. It was also difficult to detect changes in sound that indicate problems with the brain’s auditory processing center.
One tip, Nittrouer said, is that parents, doctors and speech-language pathologists continue to monitor children long after the last episode of ear pain in the preschool years has subsided. Some language disorders may not become apparent until later in the school year.
“As kids get into school, the language they need to use becomes more complex,” says Nitruer.
Assessment of language development and auditory processing
Nittrouer and Lowenstein used three tests to assess language development and auditory processing. In one test, the children had to find which of her three cute cartoon characters sounded different from the other two. This involves manipulating patterns of volume or amplitude that change over time.
“The better we can recognize changes in amplitude over time, the better we can recognize the structure of speech,” Knitlauer said.
In the second task, children were asked to name the pictures presented as a measure of vocabulary. Finally, children were asked to match words based on whether they started or ended with the same sound. This is an essential task not only for language development, but also for reading comprehension acquisition.
Prevention and treatment of ear infections
According to Nitroer, treating ear infections early can prevent fluid buildup that can negatively impact speech development. If ear infections occur frequently and fluid builds up, a temporary tube placed in the eardrum can drain the fluid and restore hearing. This reduces the risk of delayed central auditory pathway development and reduces language acquisition problems.
Future research directions
The researchers published their findings in November. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology. They plan to continue this research with children who are at risk of delayed hearing development for other reasons, such as premature birth.
References: Susan Knitlauer and Joanna H. Loewenstein, “Early Otitis Media Puts Children at Risk for Later Hearing and Speech Problems,” November 22, 2023. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2023.111801