Prevalence of secretory otitis media in seven to eight year old school children.

One thousand two hundred and seven school children aged seven to eight years were examined in the spring of 1978 in order to determine the frequence of undiagnosed secretory otitis media (SOM). All children were without any subjective ear symptoms. Two and eight tenths percent of the children were found to have SOM. The relation between SOM and the appearance of allergy, the occurrence of earlier otitis media, the occurrence of repeated upper respiratory tract infections and the treatment of earlier middle ear infections are discussed.