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Ear Infections & Autism

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svaughan
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27 Mar 2017, 9:39 am

Hi all,

I'm curious, did any if you suffer from cronic ear infections as a kid? I did and I read somewhere that ear infections can contribute to the development of ASD. I think that is unproven though.



creepycrawler
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27 Mar 2017, 10:45 am

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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svaughan
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27 Mar 2017, 10:53 am

Very interesting. Thank you for the article. I'm not diagnosed either (As far as I know, I wonder if I was in school and my parents are hiding it) though I am pursuing an ADHD diagnosis, which I fit more of these days.



komamanga
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27 Mar 2017, 12:19 pm

As a recently diagnosed Aspie I often, very often had ear infections until I was 12 and it was very painful! I don't get sick easily now but when I do it still starts with my ears.
Really interesting article.



eggheadjr
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27 Mar 2017, 12:59 pm

Ear infections - not so much. Got a lot of bad throat infections though...


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Lumi
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27 Mar 2017, 1:02 pm

Having small ears, I had ear infections often. Occasionally, they were highly painful.


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AnneOleson
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27 Mar 2017, 4:35 pm

I had ear infections on a regular basis until I had my tonsils out at 13. I lived on antibiotics and never learned to dive as I had to keep my ears out of the water.



Noca
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27 Mar 2017, 5:00 pm

I think I have maybe had one ear infection in the 30 years I've been alive.



adoylelb90815
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27 Mar 2017, 9:57 pm

I had several ear infections as a young child, but never had to have tubes put in as I quit getting them before kindergarten. I don't think it has any connection to the autism spectrum, since others in my family who are NT, had ear infections as well.



ZombieBrideXD
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28 Mar 2017, 12:08 am

I had severe and chronic ear infections for most of my young childhood, right from when i was a few days old until i was about 8. I had to have those Tubes put into my ears. I had a lot of antibiotic treatments and i am diagnosed.

My dad had the same problem but hes not autistic.

I sometimes thought there was a connection but i wouldnt know how. I know other people on the spectrum who had the same issues however Ear Infections are the number 1 most common illness in young children sonmight be a co-relation. Same as Vaccines.


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League_Girl
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28 Mar 2017, 12:49 am

I had lot of them when I was a baby it interfered with my development. I did have tubes put in twice because the first set fell out. I am not sure when it ended but before age three I know.


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svaughan
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28 Mar 2017, 7:29 am

I always thought the reason I stimmed as a kid(flapping, daydreaming) was because I retreated into myself due to poor hearing from infections, this was before I knew anything at all about ASD. I think I was actually experiencing AS and perhaps a weakened immune system (a common co-morbid I believe to ASD), hence the ear infections.