Aural health in 227 Northland school and preschool children.

Two hundred and seventy-seven Northland school and preschool children were examined to determine the current incidence of chronic suppurative otitis media and middle ear effusion in the child population of one area. A reduction in incidence of CSOM from 10.5 percent in 1974 to 2.7 percent in 1978 is attributed to the successful mobile ear clinic's child health hearing conservation programme. The incidence of middle ear effusion would indicate that this condition may be less uncommon in Maori children than is generally believed. The value of impedance audiometry as a screening procedure is considered.