The use of hearing tests to assess otitis media with effusion in children with Down syndrome.

Background: Down syndrome is associated with an increased risk for otitis media with effusion (OME), a childhood condition in which fluid accumulates in the middle ear, potentially leading to hearing loss. The American Academy of Pediatrics Down syndrome guidelines and the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery OME guidelines recommend hearing testing to assess the hearing status of children with Down syndrome diagnosed with OME.

Methods: Through an Institutional Review Board approved retrospective chart review at Children's Mercy, this project assessed how clinical factors affect the frequency in which children with Down syndrome receive hearing testing after diagnosis of OME.

Demographics of children with feeding difficulties from a large electronic health record database.

Background: Feeding difficulties are among the most common concerns expressed by parents in younger children. However, few studies have reported on the characteristics of patients with clinically significant feeding diagnoses. The aim of the current study is to describe the characteristics of patients diagnosed with feeding difficulties including concurrent conditions, age, and sex, sampled nationwide utilizing the Cerner Health Facts Database.