OTITIS-MEDIA AND HEARING-LOSS IN CHILDREN ATTENDING AN ENT CLINIC IN LUANDA, ANGOLA

At the ENT clinic in Luanda, Angola, 110 consecutive cases of children with chronic otitis media (COM) were studied to find out some clinical characteristics regarding age of onset and duration of otorrhea as well as the general state of health of the children. Eighty-five percent of the children had had longstanding otorrhea. In 75% of all the cases ear discharge had started during early childhood. It was possible to institute a simple conservative treatment of COM. Fifty percent returned to the clinic for a follow-up. The majority of the children came from families who lived under fairly good social conditions. One-hundred and five children with sensorineural hearing loss consulted the clinic. Many of them had had their hearing loss for several years before coming to the clinic. The etiology was in 39 cases infectious disease, meningitis being the most common one. Seventy-two percent had severe to profound hearing loss. Children with slight to moderate hearing loss rarely appeared at the clinic. Some of the hearing-handicapped children could be sent to a special school for rehabilitation.