Purulent Otitis Media: Differences Between Populations in Different Environments

[摘要] The paper by Kaplan and colleagues in a previous issue starts by emphasizing the unusually high incidence of otitis media among Eskimo children. Forty-one percent of their cohort of 489 Alaskan Eskimo children, followed for ten years, had perforations or scars of the tympanic membranes; significant hearing losses were present in 16% of the group. Among the 374 children with a history of otorrhea, 291 (78%) had their first attack before their second birthday. The adverse effects of hearing loss in early life on language development were underscored by the authors, who quite properly point out the need for special educational programs.

[学科分类] 儿科学