Konstantareas M M, Homatidis S
Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
J Autism Dev Disord. 1987 Dec;17(4):585-94. doi: 10.1007/BF01486973.
The frequency of ear infections, ear tube drainage, and deafness was examined through parental reports in autistic and yoke-matched, normal children. For the autistic group these difficulties were additionally examined as a function of the children's cognitive and communication abilities, verbal versus nonverbal status, sex, and degree of autistic symptomatology. Autistic children had a greater incidence of ear infections than matched normal peers. Lower-functioning children had an earlier onset of ear infections than their higher-functioning autistic peers. Ear infections coexisted with low-set ears, and with a higher autistic symptomatology score. The findings are discussed in terms of greater CNS vulnerability in the autistic children, which is likely present since embryogenesis. The possible adverse consequences of intermittent hearing loss on language, cognitive, and socioaffective development are considered.
通过家长报告，对自闭症儿童以及年龄匹配的正常儿童的耳部感染、耳管引流和耳聋频率进行了检查。对于自闭症组，还根据儿童的认知和沟通能力、语言与非语言状态、性别以及自闭症症状程度，对这些问题进行了进一步研究。自闭症儿童耳部感染的发生率高于匹配的正常同龄人。功能较低的儿童耳部感染的发病时间早于功能较高的自闭症同龄人。耳部感染与低位耳以及较高的自闭症症状评分并存。研究结果从自闭症儿童中枢神经系统更易受损的角度进行了讨论，这种易损性可能自胚胎形成期就已存在。文中还考虑了间歇性听力损失对语言、认知和社会情感发展可能产生的不良后果。
