Pneumatic otoscopy in healthy full-term infants

Pneumatic otoscopy was performed on 81 healthy full-term babies during the first 72 hours of life and at routine well-baby follow-up visits. Only 14 of 115 (12%) of the eardrums visualized during the first three days of life moved briskly to insufflation as compared with 29 of 65 (44%) and 50 of 71 (71%) by 3 weeks and 10 weeks of age, respectively. A pink color was noted in 38 of 115 (33%) and redness in five of 115 (4%) of the eardrums examined during the first 72 hours of life, whereas 64 of 71 (90%) of the tympanic membranes appeared gray by age 10 weeks. Tympanic membrane dullness, decreased light reflex, and diminished translucence occurred in greater than 90% of the infants during the first three days of life and declined to 26% or less by 4 months of age. The data suggest that limited mobility, changes in color, poor luster, and relative opacity of the tympanic membrane occur in healthy neonates and may reflect physiologic changes unique to the newborn period.