Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T03:55:43.755Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Grommet insertion in children: a survey of parental perceptions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

A. Karkanevatos
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Southport, U.K.
T. H. J. Lesser*
Affiliation:
Departments of Otolaryngology, Liverpool and Southport General Infirmary, Southport, U.K.
*
Address for correspondence: Mr T. H. J. Lesser, Consultant ENT Surgeon, Southport General Infirmary, Scarisbrick New Road, Southport, Merseyside PR8 6PH.

Abstract

Grommet insertion is a widely accepted method of treatment of glue ear in children. There have been questions raised over the last few years about the indications for grommets and whether assessing the hearing alone is an efficient outcome measure. Parental pressure accounts for one of the factors that is taken into consideration when the decision to insert grommets for glue ear is made. In this paper, a prospective questionnaire is used to investigate the parental perceptions of the effectiveness of grommet insertion in children, focusing on alternative outcome measures such as general health, language, and social skills. The results of this survey suggest that grommet insertion causes improvement in many factors other than hearing and this seems to account for the parental pressure for siblings to have grommet insertion.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Audit Commission (1993) Children First: a study of hospital services. HMSO, London.Google Scholar
Ballantyne, A. (1993) Why can't I hear you? Times 09.12.93. p. 15.Google Scholar
Bisset, A. F. (1997) Glue ear surgery in Scottish children 1990–1994: still plenty of ENT and Public Health challenges! Clinical Otolaryngology 22: 233238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, N. A. (1984) Surgery for glue ear: A modern epidemic. Lancet 1: 835837.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, N. A. (1985) Glue ear: the new dyslexia? British Medical Journal 290: 19631965.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, N. A. (1995) Surgery for glue ear: the English epidemic wanes. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 49: 234247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Black, N. A., Sanderson, C. F., Freeland, A. P., Vassey, M. P. (1990) A randomised controlled trial of surgery for glue ear. British Medical Journal 300: 15511556.Google Scholar
Brindle, D. (1993) Auditors query child treatments. Guardian 03.02.93, p. 5.Google Scholar
Brown, M. J. K., Richards, S. H., Ambegaokar, A. G. (1978) Grommets and glue ear: a five year follow-up of a control trial. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 71: 353356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chalmers, E. I., Stewart, I., Silva, P., Mulvena, A. (1989) Otitis Media with Effusion in Children – the Dunedin Study. Clinics in Development Medicine No. 108. Mac Keith Press, London.Google Scholar
Couriel, J. M. (1995) Glue ear: prescribe, operate or what? Lancet 345: 34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Effective Health Care (1992) The treatment of persistent glue ear in children. University of Leeds, Bulletin Number 4, Leeds.Google Scholar
Gardner, M. J., Altman, D. G. (1997) Statistics with Confidence – Confidence Intervals and Statistical Guidelines. British Medical Journal Publications, London.Google Scholar
Grace, A. R. H., Pfleiderer, A. G. (1990) Disequilibrium and otitis media with effusion: what is the association? Journal of Laryngology and Otology 104: 682684.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hellier, W. P. L., Corbridge, R. J., Watters, G., Freeland, A. P. (1997) Grommets and patient satisfaction: an audit. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 79: 428431.Google ScholarPubMed
Jones, N. S., Radomskij, P., Prichard, A. J. N., Snashall, S. E. (1990) Imbalance and chronic secretory otitis media in children: effect of myringotomy and insertion of ventilation tubes on body sway. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 99: 477481.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kilby, D., Richards, S. H., Hart, G. (1972) Grommets and glue ears: two year results. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 86: 881888.Google Scholar
Maw, A. R. (1995) Glue Ear in Childhood – A Prospective Study of Otitis Media with Effusion. Clinics in Development Medicine No. 135. Mac Keith Press, London.Google Scholar
McGee, R., Silva, P. A., Stewart, I. A. (1989) Behavioural problems and otitis media with effusion: a report from The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Child Development Study. New Zealand Medical Journal 95 (716): 655657.Google Scholar
Roberts, J. E., Burchinal, M. R., Collier, A. M., Ramey, C. T., Koch, M. A., Henderson, F. W. (1989) Otitis media in early childhood and cognitive, academic, and classroom performance of the school-aged child. Paediatrics 83: 477485.Google Scholar
Schilder, A. G. M., Van Manen, J. G., Zielhuis, G. A., Grievink, E. H., Peters, S. A., Van Den Broek, P. (1993) Long-term effects of otitis media with effusion on language, reading and spelling. Clinical Otolaryngology 18: 234241.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shah, N. (1971) Use of grommets in glue ear. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 85: 283287.Google Scholar