Investigators: Chris Brennan-Jones, Andrew Whitehouse, Monique Robinson, Sarra Jamieson
External collaborators: Robert Eikelboom (Ear Science Institute Australia), Samuel Calder (Curtin University), Cheryl Da Costa (Monash Health), De Wet Swanepoel (University of Pretoria)
The Raine Study Senses SIG is led by Dr Christopher Brennan-Jones (The Kids Research Institute Australia), Prof Robert Eikelboom (Ear Science Institute Australia) and Prof David Mackey (Lions Eye Institute).
The Raine Study ear and hearing data is being used to better understand the long term developmental effects of otitis media and hearing loss on developmental outcomes (including language, behavioural and cognitive development).
Using information from the Raine Study participants, we have shown that over 25% of children had repeated middle ear infections, and that having these infections in childhood seems to affect behaviour and language later on in life. We have also shown that breastfeeding for longer than 6 months of age has a protective effect against these infections in children aged 3 years, which was not extended to older ages. We are continuing to investigate the impact of OM and hearing loss on later developmental, educational and mental health outcomes.