Otitis Media and Related Complications Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Children with autism face twice the risk of serious ear infections and surgeries, so routine ear and hearing checks are essential.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors tracked ear infections in two groups of kids. One group had autism. The other group did not.
They counted how many kids got acute ear infections, fluid that stayed for months, and ear tubes or other surgeries.
What they found
Kids with autism had double the rate of serious ear trouble. They also needed twice as many ear operations.
The gap stayed big even after the researchers adjusted for age and sex.
How this fits with other research
Atladóttir et al. (2012) already showed that Danish kids with autism go to the hospital more often for almost every reason. The new ear-infection numbers fit that bigger picture.
Ip et al. (2024) looked one step further. They found that one in nine preschoolers with autism who passed their newborn hearing test still lost hearing later. Together, the two studies warn that ear and hearing problems in autism can start early and keep coming.
Kaiser et al. (2022) and Pan et al. (2021) pooled data on other medical conditions in autism. Their reviews include lots of body systems, so ear data sit inside their bigger story of higher health risks across the board.
Why it matters
If you work with a child with autism, add ear checks to your routine. Look for signs like ear pulling, sudden behavior spikes, or not responding to sounds. Ask parents when the child last saw a doctor for ears or hearing. A quick referral can cut down on pain, hearing loss, and missed language milestones.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Acute otitis media (AOM) symptoms can be masked by communication deficits, common to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We sought to evaluate the association between ASD and otitis media. Using ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes, we performed a retrospective case-cohort study comparing AOM, and otitis-related diagnoses among children with and without ASD. Children with ASD had a significantly increased rate of AOM, otitis media with effusion, otorrhea, and PE tube placement. Children with ASD were more than twice as likely to develop mastoiditis, and to undergo mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty. Children with ASD are more likely to have middle ear infections and otitis-related complications, highlighting the importance of routine middle ear examinations and close attention to hearing impairment in this population.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2016 · doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2689-x