Finland to test whether parents can photograph children’s eardrums at home
Vaasa Central Hospital in Finland will launch the Parent ear study, which will examine whether parents can independently photograph their children’s eardrums at home. The project aims to reduce the number of unnecessary doctor visits due to suspected acute otitis media, YLE News reports.
The study plans to involve 40 children aged one to three and their families. Eligible participants are children who have been diagnosed by a doctor with at least one episode of otitis during the past 12 months. Children with tympanostomy tubes already inserted in their ears will not be included. The family, or at least one parent participating with the child, must have a good command of Finnish.
Device and training for parents
Among the families meeting the participation criteria, a draw will form two groups of 20 children. Half of the participants will receive a digital ear examination device, The Ear Puffin, and will undergo training in its use and in assessing the eardrum.
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If parents suspect their child has otitis, they will be able to photograph the eardrum, assess the situation based on their training, and decide whether a doctor’s examination is needed. Acute otitis media is a significant reason why young children visit doctors and receive antibiotics. The diagnosis is made after examining the eardrum, and otitis can be reliably ruled out using photographs of it.
Comparison of assessments
The photos and videos obtained during the study will also be analyzed by an artificial intelligence-based classifier. The results will be compared with the assessment of an expert group.
The researchers also want to determine whether photographing the eardrum at home will help parents better assess their child’s condition. According to researcher Simo Nuuttila, if the results are encouraging, this approach could in the future become part of the treatment pathway for otitis. Monitoring of the families will last from five to nine months and will end in May 2027.
