Association of deleterious sucking habits with the occurrence of otitis in newborns, infants, preschool children, and children: a systematic review protocol.

Objective The objective of this review is to determine if deleterious sucking habits contribute to otitis in newborns, infants, preschool children, and children. Introduction Otitis is one of the most prevalent diseases in infants. Diverse studies have suggested that deleterious sucking habits, such as pacifier use, bottle-feeding, and finger-sucking, may be risk factors for the development of otitis in young individuals. Inclusion criteria This systematic review will include observational studies in which the association between deleterious sucking habits and otitis was assessed in newborns, infants, preschool children, and children. Studies will compare caregiver reporting of sucking habits in this population to those with no deleterious sucking habits or those who exclusively breastfeed. The primary outcome is the presence of otitis. Methods The searches will be carried out in six electronic databases, and gray literature will also be screened. A three-step search strategy will be used, with no date or language restrictions. Studies whose full text meets the eligibility criteria will be included in the systematic review. Study screening and selection, critical appraisal, and data extraction will be performed by two independent reviewers. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach will be used to assess the certainty of the evidence. Meta-analysis will be performed if there is relative homogeneity among included studies. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO CRD42020197162.