Prevalence and risk factors for parent‐reported recurrent otitis media during early childhood in the <scp>W</scp>estern <scp>A</scp>ustralian <scp>P</scp>regnancy <scp>C</scp>ohort (<scp>R</scp>aine) <scp>S</scp>tudy

Abstract

Prevalence rates of rOM within the Raine Study children are similar to a number of other known cohorts. Parity, presence of allergies, attendance at day care and introduction of other milk products at ≤4 months are highlighted as specific risk factors for rOM in this population and presence of allergies and attendance at day care being risk factors for severe rOM. Diagnosis of rOM by parent report and the delay between data collection and reporting are limitations of this study. However, as there is very limited data on OM in urban, non-Indigenous Australian children, this study improves our understanding of OM for this group.