Middle Ear Pathology as a Factor in Learning Disabilities

Speech and hearing problems among the learning disabled are taking their place with reading deficiency as one of the central intellectual problems exhibited by the LD child. One specific contributing agent to such problems may, for some children, be middle ear infections during the early phases of language learning. Such infections could irreversably disrupt development. This pilot study found a disproportionately large number of LD elementary school-aged children with middle ear pathology. Though the pathology was assessed in elementary school, not in infancy, and was not significantly related to measured language problems, the higher incidence of middle ear pathology among the LD children deserves the practitioner's attention and further study. Its relationship to vestibular system dysfunctions would be of particular interest (see Ayres, January 1977). — G.M.S.

A study was conducted to determine the incidence of middle ear pathology in groups of learning disabled and regular class students and to assess the students' general levels of language functioning. Subjects were 179 regular class students and 108 learning disabled students in the first four grades of school. All subjects were white and of middle socioeconomic status and had passed a pure-tone screening. Each was examined with an impedance audiometer employing tympanometry. Thirty-three regular class and 33 learning disabled third graders who had received the impedance examination were Development. The results showed a significantly higher proportion of learning disabled subjects with middle ear pathology. General language abilities within each group were similar regardless of the integrity of the middle ear. Explanations for the significantly greater incidence of middle ear pathology in the learning disabled sample are discussed.