I have mentioned this in a PP but I spent every summer battling ear infections as a child and I think that led to my learning problems. I have all the tell-tales signs of CAPD, I can't spell to save my life, and I'm quite ADHD (that one probably has more to do with genes than ear infections but having both sure makes life harder).
When I told DD's pediatrician that I'm not letting her swim to reduce the risk of ear infections, I thought he was going to lecture me about being an overprotective mom but to my surprise, he was completely supportive. I don't know why we don't get warnings about the long-term (life-long, really) damages ear infections can cause as new parents.
Yes--My older son had ear infections from the time he was 9 months old until he was 3 or 4. He has pretty significant learning and attention issues. My younger son had exactly one ear infection when he was 4. He has no learning or attention issues. *I* had lots of ear infections as a child and I see now that I had learning and attention issues similar to my older son. Still do, in fact. My uncle also had lots of ear infections (before antibiotics) and my father did not. My uncle struggled with learning while my father did not (and was enormously successful in academia).
A huge difference between the way the older one and the younger one were raised--the older one was breastfed for only 4 months and went to "preschool" starting at 17 months. The younger one was breastfed for 8 months and was home until he was 3.
I realize that just because this is my experience, it doesn't mean that ear infections are the cause of all things learning disabled, but it does make me think there might be somethign to the whole ear infection thing.