"Glue ear," a condition involving the build-up of sticky fluid
behind the eardrum, is the primary cause of acquired hearing
loss in children. Although hearing usually returns to sufferers,
problems in
language development can occur: study findings indicate that
children with glue ear are more likely than their peers to
have behavioral problems and reading difficulties.
Twenty percent of 2-year-olds will suffer from this condition,
which is often caused by infections. Afflicted children are
sometimes treated with steroids because of evidence from past
studies that shows steroids may control symptoms. A recent
review in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine
examined 10 studies involving steroids to treat glue ear.
The authors wanted to weigh the pros and cons of using steroids
to treat the condition. They focused on studies of children
12 and under who had suffered a significant hearing loss from
glue ear.
The results showed that there was no long-term benefit from
either steroids or antibiotics at preventing a hearing loss
associated with glue ear. Considering that this condition
often clears up without medical treatment, think twice before
accepting the use of nasal steroids on your children. To avoid
the onset of the condition, don’t smoke around your children,
and be sure to breast feed (rather than bottle feed) your
infant.
Reference:
Butler CC, van der Voort JH. Steroids for otitis media with
effusion. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,
June 2001:155(6), pp. 641-647.
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