A longitudinal study of otitis media with effusion among 2- to 5-year-old African-American children in child care

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively document the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in 86 African-American children between ages 2 and 5 years. STUDY DESIGN: Eighty-six children in center-based child care whose ear status had been followed from infancy continued to be observed. Middle ear status was assessed by pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry biweekly. RESULTS: The prevalence of OME decreased as children became older. The mean proportion of examinations demonstrating bilateral OME (BOME) ranged from 12% between 24 to 30 months to 4% between 54 to 60 months of age. The mean proportion of exams revealing bilateral normal ears increased from 77% at 24 to 30 months to 88% at 54 to 60 months of age. Although 60 children had experienced BOME that lasted 4 months or longer in the 6- to 24-month age period, only 8 of these children experienced at least 4 months of continuous BOME between 24 to 60 months. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of time with BOME decreased progressively with increasing age in this population. Only 8 of 60 children who had experienced more than 4 consecutive months of BOME before 2 years of age continued to manifest persistent effusion or experience recurrences of prolonged BOME after 2 years of age.