FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (Health Day News) — Ear tubes can improve hearing over the short term in children with a certain type of ear infection. But they don’t help children’s hearing, speech or language over the long term, according to a new review.

Dr. Michael Steiner and colleagues at the University of North Carolina reviewed the findings of 41 studies that assessed the effects of implanting ear tubes in children with what doctors call recurrent or chronic Otis media with effusion. In this condition, there is fluid in the middle ear, but no signs or symptoms of acute ear infection.

The fluid reduces middle ear function, resulting in temporary hearing loss and occasional pain, according to a university news release. Due to parental concerns about potential hearing loss and developmental delays, many children with the condition have ear tubes implanted to relieve pressure and fluid buildup.

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