How middle-ear fluid affects children's hearing and development
Official title: Hearing Loss, Prognosis, and Long-Term Impact of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children
Funded at Father Flanagan's Boys' Home · NIH-11342182 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team will compare children with middle-ear fluid who have little or no hearing loss to those with larger hearing losses to find which kids need treatment to protect speech, language, and listening skills.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Father Flanagan's Boys' Home NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boys Town, United States) |
| Project start | May 4, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $707,126 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DC023582-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11342182 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children from infancy through about 11 years old who have middle-ear fluid (otitis media with effusion), especially those with persistent fluid or measurable hearing loss, would be good candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Children without middle-ear fluid, or those whose fluid causes no measurable or only very brief hearing loss, are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
If your child joins, clinicians will measure their hearing with standard audiology tests and document how long middle-ear fluid (OME) lasts. They will track children over months to years to see how the degree and whether one or both ears are affected relate to later speech, language, and auditory processing. The researchers will look at the total amount of hearing loss over time (cumulative auditory deprivation) rather than just whether fluid was present. The goal is to identify which patterns of hearing loss put children at risk so care can be focused on those who need it most.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help doctors target ear tube surgery and other care to the children most likely to develop speech, language, or learning problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown mixed results about long-term effects of middle-ear fluid, and this project is relatively novel in focusing on the cumulative amount and symmetry of hearing loss as the key risk factor.
Where this research is happening
-
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
Boys Town, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merchant, Gabrielle Ryan — Father Flanagan's Boys' Home
- Study coordinator: Merchant, Gabrielle Ryan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.