Vaasa study lets parents assess children’s ear infections at home

Parents in Vaasa are learning to check their children for ear infections at home as part of a University of Turku study that could help reduce unnecessary doctor visits, Yle reports.

Families use a digital otoscope to photograph a child’s eardrum when they suspect an infection. After brief training, parents assess the image on a tablet and decide whether to contact healthcare services. Doctoral researcher Simo Nuuttila said giving parents responsibility for deciding when to seek care makes the study unusual.

Ear infections were chosen because the risks to children are low, Nuuttila said. The devices are not widely used by staff in public healthcare, which he attributed to their high cost.

The study aims to include 40 children and their families, with about half recruited so far. Berat Hoti’s family was randomly assigned to the comparison group. They will not receive an otoscope, but will record their child’s condition every day for a month.

Hoti said the family hopes to learn more about preventing ear infections and spotting them early. He also wants to avoid unnecessary antibiotics. Nuuttila said an ear infection does not always require medication, although antibiotics are sometimes prescribed.

If the study meets its aims, parents could assess children’s ears at home in the future, potentially reducing unnecessary appointments and saving healthcare resources. However, Nuuttila said no decisions or plans have been made for parent-led ear examinations in the wellbeing services counties of Ostrobothnia or Southwest Finland. The cost of the devices would also need to be weighed against any savings from fewer doctor visits.