Tympanometry in Three-Year-Old Children

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Abstract
All 3-year-old children in a region were screened by tympanometry in January 1976 (503 children), and the 6-year-olds of the same region had tympanometric and tone audiometric screening in January 1979 (498 children), 70% being included both times. Significant improvement in middle ear status had occurred from the age of 3–6 years, but otherwise there was surprisingly little difference between the two age levels, e.g., about one-third of the tympanograms were abnormal in both age groups. Ears having a middle ear pressure of 0 to –99 mm H2O at 3 years showed significantly better impedance audiology at 6 years, but as regards hearing loss they proved to be like cases who had previously had more or less negative pressure in the middle ear. Out of the flat tympanograms at 3 years a quarter were still flat at 6 years, and every sixth child did not pass tone audiometric screening. The subgroups boys/girls, nursery school/homecare children, urban/rural children that had exhibited differences in middle ear function at 3 years showed identical results at 6 years. A favourable effect of systematic tracing and active treatment of middle ear pathology from the age of 3 years could not be found at tone audiometry and impedance testing at 6 years. This must, inter alia, shake faith in adenoidectomy as a therapeutic or preventive procedure in dealing with middle ear pathology.

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