The Long-Term Effect of Childhood Otitis Media on Speech-in-Noise Testing at Ages 9 and 13

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the relationship between a history of otitis media (OM) in early childhood and speech reception thresholds (SRT) in later childhood, using the Dutch digits-in-noise (DIN) test at ages 9 and 13 years.

Methods

This study was conducted within the Generation R study, a prospective birth cohort in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Children underwent pure-tone audiometry and DIN testing at ages 9 (2011–2015) and 13 (2016–2020) years. Regression analyses and a linear mixed model were used to examine associations between OM history and SRT in noise, accounting for repeated measurements within individuals.

Results

At baseline (age 9 years), 2063 children were included with a mean SRT of −5.6 (SD = 2.0). At follow-up (age 13 years), 3382 children were included with a mean SRT of −7.4 (SD = 1.4). A positive association was found between recurrent acute OM (RAOM) and DIN test outcomes, with an estimated coefficient of 0.55 (95% CI = 0.26, 0.84; t-value = 3.70). Socioeconomic status and multilingualism did not significantly predict DIN test performance.

Conclusion

A history of RAOM may potentially influence SRT outcomes in later childhood, with higher DIN scores observed in the RAOM group. While the effect sizes between the groups are small to moderate, these findings highlight the importance of considering the potential long-term effects of OM in both clinical practice and future research. Further studies are needed to better understand these relationships.

Level of Evidence

2 (cohort study).