Extended scope audiology clinic - a review of its outcomes and re-presentation to the ear nose and throat service.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of Extended Scope (ES) audiologists in managing adult Ear Nose and Throat (ENT)/Otology waitlists and analyse patient re-presentation rate to the ENT service within 12 months of being discharged from the clinic. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study assessing the efficacy of ES audiologists, measuring the discharge rate from ENT waitlists, the rate of escalation to ENT care, and the rate and reasons for any re-presentations to care. STUDY SAMPLE: 394 adult patients. RESULTS: Of the referred patients, 95% (n = 374) were deemed suitable for ES care. Of these, 75% were discharged without further ENT intervention, 20% required escalation to ENT, and 5% were returned to the waitlist. Only one patient re-presented for care within 12 months. The inclusion of patients with CHL/MHL and vestibular symptoms marked an expansion from our previous work. The re-presentation rate was notably lower compared to other allied health ES clinics. CONCLUSION: The ES Audiology clinic demonstrates a high discharge rate with a low incidence of patient re-presentation, highlighting the ES audiologists' efficiency in managing non-urgent ENT cases. The study supports the continued use and expansion of ES roles to ensuring timely and quality care for patients on ENT waitlists.

Paediatric post-grommets surgery review: Audiology-led clinic.

BACKGROUND: Otitis media (OM) has a high prevalence in childhood, and grommet insertion is the most common surgical treatment for OM. The public health system in Australia faces considerable strains, including high demand for Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists. Extending the scope of practice for audiologists to manage post-operative care for children receiving grommets has the potential to alleviate this burden. METHODS: This non-randomised, cross-sectional study investigated the efficacy and feasibility of an audiology-led clinic for managing paediatric patients after grommet insertion at a tertiary teaching hospital in Western Australia. Senior audiologists reviewed children at 6 weeks and 10 months post-operatively, escalating care to an ENT specialist if abnormalities were observed. Children with normal hearing and patent grommets were reviewed and discharged by the audiologist. RESULTS: A total of 93 children were included (mean age 5.18 ± 2.25 years, range 1.59-11.46 years). At the 6-week review, 72/93 (77 %) presented with in-situ grommets and normal hearing, while 21/93 (22 %) were escalated for immediate ENT care. At the 10-month review, 54/72 (75 %) were discharged without further ENT intervention, and 18/72 (25 %) required additional ENT investigation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that an audiology-led follow-up clinic for post-grommet insertion is a viable option, providing efficient, high-quality care. Two-thirds of paediatric patients did not require ENT input or review post-operatively. The results support interdisciplinary models of care, which could help address challenges faced by overburdened ENT services.

A hospital-based asynchronous ENT telehealth service for children with otitis media: Cost-minimisation and improved access.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of a hospital-based asynchronous ear, nose, and throat (ENT) telehealth service (the Ear Portal) in reducing cost and improving access for children with otitis media. METHODS: Participants were recruited to the Ear Portal from a tertiary hospital ENT waiting list. Ear and hearing assessments were conducted during appointments by the Ear Portal research assistant, and data was stored for an asynchronous review by the Ear Portal multidisciplinary team. A cost-minimisation analysis was conducted for the Ear Portal and the standard care pathways. Waiting times to provide care for both pathways were calculated for children with semi-urgent (i.e. Category 2) and non-urgent (i.e. Category 3) referrals. RESULTS: The running cost for the Ear Portal was $67.70 for initial appointments and $37.34 for follow-up appointments. Conversely, the running cost for the standard care pathway was $154.65 for initial appointments and $86.10 for follow-up appointments. A total of 223 appointments were required to offset the initial Ear Portal investment of $19,384.00. The median waiting time for the Ear Portal from initial contact to care plan delivery was <30 days, whereas the median waiting times for children in the standard care pathway were 291 days (interquartile range (IQR) = 117) for Category 2 and 371 days (IQR = 311) for Category 3 referrals. CONCLUSION: Under the current circumstances, the Ear Portal service can reduce costs for the health care system by reducing marginal costs per patient in addition to providing ENT specialist care within the clinically recommended timeframes.

The Impact of Early-Life Recurrent Otitis Media in Children on the Psychological Well-Being of Caregivers.

AIM: Children with early-life recurrent otitis media (OM) will often endure pain, sleep disturbances, and other developmental setbacks that impact the surrounding family system. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological well-being and family functioning of caregivers of children with early-life recurrent OM (rOM). METHODS: Data from a longitudinal pregnancy cohort were used to categorize children into two groups: those with a history of recurrent OM (rOM group) and those without a history of rOM (reference group) by the age of 3 years. The psychological well-being of caregivers and the family functioning status were assessed using the Affect Balance Scale and the General Functioning Scale of the McMaster Family Assessment Device (FAD-GF), respectively, at the three-, five-, and eight-year follow-up appointments. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the data and were adjusted for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: There were significant associations between having a child with an early history of rOM and the Affect Balance Scale of caregivers for the negative affects subscale at the three- (p < 0.001) and five- (p = 0.018) year follow-ups, and the Affect Balance subscale at the three-year (p = 0.007) and the five-year follow-ups (p = 0.047). There were no significant associations measured during the 8-year follow-up period for the FAD-GF. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study further highlight the impact of caring for a child with rOM in early childhood on caregivers' psychological well-being in the first five years of a child's life. The impact, however, did not appear to influence the longer-term functioning of the family as a whole. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 134:1445-1449, 2024.

Recurrent otitis media and behaviour problems in middle childhood: A longitudinal cohort study.

AIM: To investigate the long-term effects of early-life recurrent otitis media (OM) and subsequent behavioural problems in children at the age of 10 years. METHODS: Data from the Raine Study, a longitudinal pregnancy cohort, were used to categorise children into those with three or more episodes of OM (rOM group) and those without a history of recurrent OM in the first 3 years of life (reference group). The parent report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used to assess child behaviour at the age of 10 years. Parental questionnaires were used to report past and present diagnoses of various mental health and developmental conditions, including attention, anxiety, depression, learning, and speech-language problems. Multiple linear and logistic models were used to analyse the data and were adjusted for a fixed set of key confounding variables. RESULTS: The linear regression analysis revealed significant, independent associations between a history of recurrent OM and higher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores, including total, internalising, externalising, emotional, attention/hyperactivity and peer problems subscales. Logistic regression analyses revealed an independent increased likelihood for children in the rOM group to have a diagnosis of attention, anxiety, learning and speech-language problems. CONCLUSION: Children at 10 years of age with an early history of recurrent OM are more likely to exhibit attentional and behavioural problems when compared to children without a history of recurrent OM. These findings highlight the association between early-life recurrent OM and later behavioural problems that may require professional allied health-care interventions.

The Impact of Waiting Times on Behavioral Outcomes for Children with Otitis Media: Results from an Urban Ear, Nose, and Throat Telehealth Service.

Aim: Children with otitis media (OM) experience long waiting times to access Australia's public hospitals due to limited capacity. The aim of this article is to utilize an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) telehealth service (the Ear Portal) to examine whether delayed access to specialist care is associated with poorer behavioral outcomes for children with OM. Methods: Participants in the study included 45 children who were referred to ENT specialists due to recurrent and persistent OM. Children were triaged as semiurgent with a target time-to-assessment of 90 days or nonurgent with a target time-to-assessment of 365 days. The behavioral outcomes of children were assessed using the parent report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Descriptive statistics and adjusted multiple linear regression models were used to compare children who received access to the service within the time-to-assessment target of their triage category ("on-boundary"; n = 17) and outside the time-to-assessment target ("off-boundary"; n = 28). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between the internalizing, externalizing, and total SDQ scores as a function of waiting times in days. Results: Borderline or abnormal SDQ scores ranged from 24.4% to 42.2% across the study participants. The regression analysis showed a statistically significant association between the off-boundary group and higher scores (i.e., poorer) on the peer, emotional, conduct, internalizing, and total problems subscales. Further, lengthy waiting times were significantly correlated with higher internalizing problems. These findings indicate that longer waiting times may lead to poorer behavioral outcomes for children with OM.Clinical Trial Registration: (ACTRN1269000039189p). Conclusion: Children with recurrent and persistent OM referred to ENT outpatient care were found to have significantly more behavioral difficulties if their waiting times exceeded the recommended timeframes for their triaged referrals. Additionally, they experienced more internalizing problems that correlated with longer waiting times. This highlights the calls for alterations in current clinical practice given the lengthy waiting times in Australia's public hospitals.

Ear and hearing outcomes in Aboriginal infants living in an urban Australian area: the Djaalinj Waakinj birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Describe the ear and hearing outcomes in Aboriginal infants in an Australian urban area. DESIGN: Aboriginal infants enrolled in the Djaalinj Waakinj prospective cohort study had ear health screenings at ages 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months and audiological assessment at ∼12 months of age. Sociodemographic, environmental characteristics, otoscopy, otoacoustic emissions, tympanometry and visual reinforcement audiometry data were collected. STUDY SAMPLE: 125 infants were enrolled in the study; 67 completed audiological assessment, 62, 54, and 58 of whom attended ear screenings at 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months. RESULTS: Of the children that attended the audiological assessment, 36.5%, 50% and 64.3% of infants had otitis media (OM) at 2-4, 6-8 and 12-18 months. Using a 10 dB correction factor, 44.8% of infants had hearing loss (HL) (≥ 25 dB HL) at ∼ 12 months of age. More males (X2=5.4 (1df, p = 0.02)) and infants with OM at audiological assessment (X2=5.8 (1df, p = 0.02)) had HL. More infants that used a pacifier at 12-18 months of age had HL (X2=4.7 (1df, p = 0.03)). CONCLUSION: Aboriginal infants in an urban area have high rates of HL and OM, which requires early surveillance and timely treatment to reduce the medical and developmental impacts of OM and HL.

The association between otitis media in early childhood with later behaviour and attention problems: A longitudinal pregnancy cohort.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to investigate the association between an early history of recurrent otitis media (OM) with or without ventilation tube insertion (VTI) and later behavioural problems in childhood and adolescence. METHODS: Parental reports in a longitudinal pregnancy cohort were used to classify children into three groups; recurrent OM without VTI (rOM group; n = 276), recurrent OM with VTI (VTI group; n = 62), and no history of early-life recurrent OM as a reference group (n = 1485). The Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) was administered at ages 5, 8, 10, and 13 years and data were analysed for psychological wellbeing. Mixed-effects regression modelling was used to investigate the associations between a history of rOM and CBCL T-scores across all ages for rOM and VTI groups compared to the reference group. All analyses were controlled for a wide range of confounding variables. RESULTS: The analyses revealed a significant association between recurrent OM and behavioural problems. While there was a general decline in scores (i.e. improvement) observed over the duration of the follow-up period, children in the rOM group displayed significantly higher scores for internalising and externalising behaviours at ages five, eight and 10 years. Attention scores were significantly higher across all ages in the rOM group. A transient increase in internalising behaviour was observed in the VTI group at ages eight and 10 years. Logistic regression models showed an increased overall likelihood for the rOM group only to fall within the abnormal clinical range for internalising and externalising behaviours. CONCLUSION: Early-life recurrent OM with and without VTI was associated with increased behavioural and attention problems in early and late childhood. This suggests that recurrent OM can have a significant impact on children's behaviour and attention that can persist into early adolescence.

Long-term follow-up after recurrent otitis media and ventilation tube insertion: Hearing outcomes and middle-ear health at six years of age.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the long-term impact of recurrent otitis media (rOM) and ventilation tube insertion (VTI) in early childhood on hearing outcomes and middle-ear health three to five years later, in a prospective pregnancy cohort study. METHODS: Children were classified into rOM (n = 314), VTI (n = 94), and reference (n = 1735) groups, according to their otitis media (OM) history in their first three years of life. Audiometry at frequencies 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz, and tympanometry were performed when children were approximately six years of age. RESULTS: A binary logistic regression incorporating a range of potential confounding variables showed that hearing outcomes and middle-ear health status in children who had early childhood rOM with or without undergoing VTI were not significantly different to those in the reference group. The only significant difference was found in the VTI group for both tympanometry (OR = 2.190; 95% CI = 1.123, 4.270) and audiometry outcomes at 4000 Hz (OR = 3.202; 95% CI 1.341, 6.717), in the left ear only. The median score of the better ear 4FA was 20 dB in children in all groups. CONCLUSION: Children with rOM with or without undergoing VTI in the first three years of childhood had comparable hearing outcomes and middle-ear health status to those with no history of the disease, at around the age of six years. Although children who underwent VTI had an increased risk of abnormal middle-ear status and some elevation in hearing levels in their left ear only, their audiometry results were still within normal limits, indicating that the impact of VTI in early childhood is unlikely to have clinically significant adverse impact on later hearing outcomes.

Wideband Tympanometry Findings in School-aged Children: Effects of Age, Gender, Ear Laterality, and Ethnicity.

OBJECTIVES: Wideband tympanometry (WBT) measures middle-ear function across a range of frequencies (250 to 8000 Hz) while the ear-canal pressure is varied from +200 to -300 daPa. WBT is a suitable test to evaluate middle-ear function in children, but there is a lack of age-, ear-, gender-, or ethnicity-specific data throughout the literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of age, ear laterality, gender, and ethnicity on the WBT data retrieved from children aged 4 to 13 years determined to have normal middle-ear function. DESIGN: Data were collected cross-sectionally from 924 children aged 4 to 13 years who passed a test battery consisting of 226-Hz tympanometry, ipsilateral acoustic stapedial reflexes, and pure-tone screening, and without significant history of middle-ear dysfunction. Participants were grouped according to their age: 4 to 6 years, 7 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years. Wideband absorbance values were extracted at 0 daPa (WBA0) and tympanometric peak pressure (WBATPP). RESULTS: The effects of age, frequency, and pressure (WBA0 versus WBATPP) were statistically significant. There were significant differences between WBA0 and WBATPP for all age groups such that WBA0 had lower absorbance at low frequencies (250 to 1600 Hz) and greater absorbance at mid to high frequencies (2500 to 8000 Hz). Statistically significant effects of age were present for WBA0 and WBATPP such that absorbance generally increased with age from 250 to 1250 Hz and decreased with age from 2000 to 5000 Hz. There were no significant main effects of gender, ear, or ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Gender-, ear-, and ethnicity-specific clinical WBA0 and WBATPP norms are not required for diagnostic purposes; however, age-specific norms may be necessary. Age-related changes in middle-ear function were observed across WBA0 and WBATPP. The data presented in this study are a suitable clinical reference for evaluating the outer- and middle-ear function of school-aged children.