Otitis media: Is precursor of delayed reading in Arabic speaking children?

ObjectiveTo investigate the relation between otitis media in the language acquisition years and the occurrence of delayed reading between the ages of 7 and 10.MethodParticipants were 40 children, half of whom had a history of otitis media between the ages of birth and three years and half who were free of the disease. These children, now ages 7-10, were tested with the Stanford Beint and Arabic Dyslexia Assessment Test.ResultsChildren with a history of otitis media scored over a year below grade level in reading and significantly below controls on Arabic Dyslexia Assessment tests as well as on the Verbal IQ factor on the Stanford Binet.ConclusionsChildren with early onset otitis media (birth to three years) tend to be at greater risk for delayed reading than age-matched controls.