Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

Search

Research

Glue Ear

Glue ear is when a child's middle ear fills with sticky fluid behind the ear drum. A common condition, glue ear usually goes undetected, as it's not an obvious condition from the outside.

Research

Development, construct validity and utility of a cross-culturally adapted Otitis Media-6 (OM-6) questionnaire for urban Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children

Tamara Chris Valerie Veselinovic Brennan-Jones Swift BSc(Hons) MClinAud PhD PhD Clinical Research Fellow Head, Ear and Hearing Health Aboriginal

Research

The use of tranexamic acid in paediatric adenotonsillectomy – A systematic review and meta-analysis

Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are two of the most commonly performed ENT procedures in children, with over 500,000 cases performed annually in the United States. Whilst generally considered a safe and well-tolerated operation, it is not without its risks and complications including pain, nausea, anorexia and most importantly bleeding and post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.

Research

Risk of otitis media in offspring following maternal prenatal stress exposure

There is limited but consistent evidence that suggests prenatal factors, including maternal stress, may contribute to susceptibility for otitis media. We aimed to determine the effect of multiple life stress events during pregnancy on risk of acute and recurrent otitis media in offspring at three and five years of age. 

Research

An infant mouse model of influenza-driven nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae colonization and acute otitis media suitable for preclinical testing of novel therapies

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a major otitis media (OM) pathogen, with colonization a prerequisite for disease development. Most acute OM is in children <5 years old, with recurrent and chronic OM impacting hearing and learning. Therapies to prevent NTHi colonization and/or disease are needed, especially for young children. Respiratory viruses are implicated in driving the development of bacterial OM in children.

Research

Safety, tolerability, and effect of a single aural dose of Dornase alfa at the time of ventilation tube surgery for otitis media: A Phase 1b double randomized control trial

One third of children require repeat ventilation tube insertion (VTI) for otitis media. Disease recurrence is associated with persistent middle ear bacterial biofilms. With demonstration that Dornase alfa (a DNase) disrupts middle ear effusion biofilms ex vivo, we identified potential for this as an anti-biofilm therapy to prevent repeat VTI. First, safety and tolerability needed to be measured.

Research

Impact of ventilation tube insertion on long-term language outcomes at 6 and 10 years of age: A prospective pregnancy cohort study

Investigating the impact of early childhood ventilation tube insertion (VTI) on long-term language outcomes. 

Research

Biofilms and intracellular infection in otitis media

Otitis media (OM), middle ear infection, represents a significant burden on children, their families, and the healthcare system. OM is the major cause of hearing loss in children and if left untreated in children who suffer chronic and recurrent forms of OM, this disease can have serious life-long sequelae.

Research

Recurrent otitis media and behaviour problems in middle childhood: A longitudinal cohort study

To investigate the long-term effects of early-life recurrent otitis media (OM) and subsequent behavioural problems in children at the age of 10 years.

Research

A hospital-based asynchronous ENT telehealth service for children with otitis media: Cost-minimisation and improved access

The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of a hospital-based asynchronous ear, nose, and throat telehealth service (the Ear Portal) in reducing cost and improving access for children with otitis media.