Study queries value of ear tube surgery for childrens' speech and language development

After conducting a study of nearly 400 children in 2001, researchers at the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, have come to the conclusion, that putting tubes in the eardrum to help drain a young child's middle ear infection does not guard against developmental problems later in life.

Waiting to implant the tubes apparently had no effect on a child's performance on language and speech tests at age three or four.

It seems that every year about 280,000 children under age three, have the tube surgery, which is designed to reduce the number of ear infections or drain middle ear fluid that might muffle sounds and hinder language development.

The researchers found even by the age of six, the children with the tubes already implanted scored no higher on intelligence, word, speech, behaviour or emotion tests, than children who received the tubes later.

The youngsters were given in total,30 types of tests.

The team, led by Jack Paradise of the University of Pittsburgh, say the prompt insertion of the eardrum tubes had no demonstrable beneficial effect on the children's development by six years old.

According to the researchers, doctors need to take a conservative approach when treating children with the infection, because the insertion of the tubes carries risks associated with general anesthesia.

A study among three-year-olds has already prompted some physician groups to recommend against using the tubes just because fluid is affecting a child's hearing.

The updated findings are published in the current edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.