[Impact of otitis media on language acquisition in children].

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature concerning the impact of otitis media on language acquisitions in children.

SOURCES OF DATA: Medline. The following keywords were used for searching: otitis media, hearing, language and children. SUMMARY OF THE FINDING: The hearing loss observed in otitis media may be a result of: 1) structural disorders in the middle ear; 2) ultrastructural lesions and biochemical anomalies in the cochlea or 3) abnormalities in the central auditory pathways. About 50% of cases of secretory otitis media, for instance, are accompanied by mild fluctuating hearing loss. According to the literature, since the first three years of life are critical for language development, children affected by otitis media in this period are at risk for presenting disturbances in language acquisition, behavior and later academic achievement.

CONCLUSIONS: The main consequences of otitis media and hearing loss on language acquisition are phonetic and speech articulation problems, as well as impairment of reading comprehension.