THE EFFECT OF OTITIS-MEDIA WITH EFFUSION AT PRESCHOOL AGE ON SOME ASPECTS OF AUDITORY-PERCEPTION AT SCHOOL-AGE

The relationship between otitis media with effusion (OME) at preschool age and performance on five tests of auditory perception was studied in 89 school-age children who had OME histories well documented from p articipation in serial screening for OME at 2-4 yr of age. The tests u sed at 7.5-8 yr of age were: speech-in-noise, filtered speech, binaura l fusion, dichotic speech, and auditory memory. A significant effect o f OME was found on the speech-in-noise test. No additional effects wer e demonstrated by this particular group of children.