A longitudinal study of otitis media with effusion among 2- to 5-year-old African-American children in child care

Objective. To prospectively document the prevalence of otitis media with ef fusion (OME) in 86 African-American children between ages 2 and 5 years. Study Design. Eighty-six children in center-based child care whose ear stat us had been followed from infancy continued to be observed. Middle ear stat us was assessed by pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry biweekly. Results. The prevalence of OME decreased as children became older. The mean proportion of examinations demonstrating bilateral OME (BOME) ranged from 12% between 24 to 30 months to 4% between 54 to 60 months of age. The mean proportion of exams revealing bilateral normal ears increased from 77% at 2 4 to 30 months to 88% at 54 to 60 months of age. Although 60 children had e xperienced BOME that lasted 4 months or longer in the 6- to 24-month age pe riod, only 8 of these children experienced at least 4 months of continuous BOME between 24 to 60 months. Conclusions. The proportion of time with BOME decreased progressively with increasing age in this population. Only 8 of 60 children who had experience d more than 4 consecutive months of BOME before 2 years of age continued to manifest persistent effusion or experience recurrences of prolonged BOME a fter 2 years of age.