A Prospective Epidemiological Study of Secretory Otitis media in Young Children Related to the Indoor Environment

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Abstract
To assess the influence of housing upon the middle ear status in young children in the form of secretory otitis media (SOM), 210 children not looked after in kindergarten or municipal day-care were investigated. Tympanometry was performed 6 times at 2-week intervals, and the parents filled in a questionnaire concerning housing conditions. In addition to the number of times the children had suffered from SOM, we evaluated long-lasting cases, and the frequency of common colds. Age affected all 3 parameters and sex 1, the boys having a larger number of long-lasting episodes. As to housing factors, the type of housing was of importance, children living in flats being most apt to get SOM, and children on farms least, but this difference disappeared after a regression analysis. Both major and minor airing resulted in fewer cases of SOM than did average airing. Children with a history of allergy (but not of allergic rhinitis) caught colds more often than others.

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