Otitis media and the social behavior of day-care-attending children.

Research has suggested that young children who experience chronic middle ear disease (otitis media) in early childhood may display some initial developmental delays in language development as well as later problems in school. This association between otitis media and developmental problems is hypothesized to be linked to the hearing loss that accompanies frequent or long bouts of otitis media. Recent interest has focused on whether otitis media may be linked to behavioral changes in children, making them less responsive to the environment even when well. This study examined the relation between early otitis media in day-care-attending children and their subsequent behavior in the day-care classroom when the children were well. Findings suggest that day-care-attending children with chronic otitis media in the first 3 years of life play more often alone and have fewer positive and fewer negative verbal interactions with peers than nonchronic children in day-care. There were no differences between chronic and nonchronic otitis media children in their nonverbal behavior. Results may also contribute to our understanding of the development of the socially withdrawn child.