[Tympanometry in cerebral palsy (author's transl)].

In 61 cerebral palsied children tympanometry was used for indirect registration of middle ear pressure. One quarter of the patients showed pressure values below -50 mm H2O. Tympanometry was done also after the Valsalva and Politzer manoeuvres, which were performed consecutively. In 22 ears there was no pressure change after both, the Valsalva and Politzer manoeuvre. In 6 ears there was no change of the original negative middle ear pressure after Politzerisation. No correlation could be found between a) type of cerebral palsy and b) severity of oral sensorimotor disturbance and negative middle ear pressure. Nevertheless there was a significant smaller pressure-change induced by the Valsalva manoeuvre in the orally severely handicapped group compared to the group with only minor or no oral pathology. Oral sensorimotor handicaps seem to predispose to disturbances of the middle ear system. The Politzer manoeuvre can be used successfully in the majority of cerebral palsied children.