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The recommendation to lay babies on their backs to sleep has reduced sudden infant death syndrome but has led to an increased number of infants with the skull deformity plagiocephaly. Research published in the September issue of the Journal of Craniofacial Surgery suggests that infants with more severe plagiocephaly may have a higher rate of middle ear abnormalities associated with otitis media.

In 124 children, the researchers performed a test called a tympanogram, done to measure pressures within the middle ear. Certain patterns of tympanogram results suggest the presence of otitis media. The results showed “a marked trend” toward a relationship between otitis media-related abnormalities and the severity of plagiocephaly. “The more severe cases [types IV-V] of plagiocephaly had a higher percentage of otitis media than the less severe cases [types I-III],” the researchers wrote.

In more severe plagiocephaly, the skull deformity may cause the ear to move forward. Resulting abnormalities of the eustachian tube may cause problems with fluid drainage from the middle ear, promoting infections and otitis media, the researchers surmised.

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