No association between hearing loss due to bilateral otitis media with effusion and Denver-II test results in preschool children

OBJECTIVE: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the most common cause of acquired hearing loss in childhood and has been associated with delayed language development and behavioral problems. In this study, children with an evidently recurrent otitis media were investigated. The present study examines the association between hearing loss versus developmental screening test parameters of preschool children. METHODS: Sixteen children with bilateral otitis media were compared with age-matched same number of children with normal hearing (controls). RESULTS: Language and verbal cognitive abilities were not affected significantly as a result of the presence of hearing loss because of OME. Using internationally standardized Denver-II test to evaluate the language development and other developmental screening parameters, no significant difference was found between the patient and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to find any association between the hearing loss due to otitis media with effusion and speech and language parameters in preschool children.