There is some evidence that putting infants to sleep in the supine position results in a reduced developmental score at 6 months of age, but this disadvantage appears to be transient. Weighing this against the adverse health effects demonstrated with the prone sleeping position, these results should not change the message of the Back to Sleep Campaign.

Data on the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) as shown by serial tympanometry is presented for young children during the first 5 years of life. The children were participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ALSPAC); a randomly selected 10% (n = 1400) of whom were selected for examination at ages 8, 12, 18, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49 and 61 months. Whilst sex had no effect, there was a decrease in prevalence of OME with increasing age. There was a marked seasonal effect on the prevalence of OME. Bilateral and unilateral OME were significantly more prevalent in the winter than in the summer months (36.6% in February in children aged 8 months compared with 16% at 61 months and 16.4% in August in children aged 8 months compared with 3.1% at 61 months). The results form an important background against which to assess both the results of screening and also the indications for surgical treatment.

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