I'm not diagnosed, but I did indeed have frequent ear infections and got tympanostomy tubes as a kid. It's funny because I had only vague memories of the doctor sticking these small plastic tubes in my ears, and having to use wax earplugs while swimming. I never really knew what they were.
A quick search found this article investigating the link between autism and ear troubles: http://link.springer.com/article/10.100 ... 015-2689-x
Abstract:
Quote:
Acute otitis media (AOM) symptoms can be masked by communication deficits, common to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We sought to evaluate the association between ASD and otitis media. Using ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes, we performed a retrospective case-cohort study comparing AOM, and otitis-related diagnoses among children with and without ASD. Children with ASD had a significantly increased rate of AOM, otitis media with effusion, otorrhea, and PE tube placement. Children with ASD were more than twice as likely to develop mastoiditis, and to undergo mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty. Children with ASD are more likely to have middle ear infections and otitis-related complications, highlighting the importance of routine middle ear examinations and close attention to hearing impairment in this population.
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"Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly." - Charles Addams