Children and Young Person’s Audiology
Glue ear is the most common cause of a conductive hearing loss in children. Those children under the age of five are the largest group affected, though for some it can persist into adolescence.
It is widely accepted that glue ear can cause temporary deafness, which if significant enough, can prolong speech development, affect children’s behaviour and delay their educational progress.
A prolonged period of time with significantly reduced hearing can affect the way in which a child’s speech develops. For example, parts of words may not be pronounced clearly. Children with glue ear may also fall behind at school and become disruptive.
What is glue ear?
For ears to work properly the middle ear needs to be kept full of air. The air travels through the Eustachian tube which runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat.
In young children this tube is not as vertical and wide as it will become as they age and as a result does not work as well. If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, air cannot enter the middle ear. When this happens, the cells lining the middle ear begin to produce fluid. This is like a runny liquid which can get thicker as it fills the middle ear.
With fluid blocking the middle ear, it becomes harder for sound to pass through to the inner ear. This can make quieter sounds difficult to hear. The conductive hearing loss, as a result of the glue ear, can fluctuate from day to day. You may notice that some days your child’s hearing seems better than others.
Things that make glue ear worse or more likely
Colds and flu, allergies and passive smoking can contribute to glue ear. Children with cleft palate or genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome are more likely to get glue ear as their Eustachian tubes are often smaller.
How do I know my child has glue ear?
At the children’s audiology clinic an audiologist will examine your child’s ears and a hearing assessment will be carried out. This will usually include tympanometry, which is a test to measure how well the eardrum can move.
If there is fluid in the middle ear, the eardrum will not work properly. A hearing test should also be carried out to check if your child has any hearing loss caused by the middle ear fluid. The test results and the best way to treat your child will be discussed with you.
Treatment options
At the follow up clinic, your child’s hearing assessment will be repeated. If there is still fluid present and the hearing loss is persistent, we may recommend that your child is referred to see the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) consultant for consideration of grommets or offer a temporary hearing aid depending on the circumstances.
How can I help my child whilst they have glue ear?
Basic communication tips can help to make listening easier for your child.
Contacting us
If you have any questions, please ring the Paediatric Audiology team on the below contact details.
Further information can be found on our website detailed below or by scanning the QR code.
Telephone: 01642 854071
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/services/audiology
Patient experience
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust would like your feedback. If you wish to share your experience about your care and treatment or on behalf of a patient, please contact The Patient Experience Department who will advise you on how best to do this.
This service is based at The James Cook University Hospital but also covers the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, our community hospitals and community health services.
To ensure we meet your communication needs please inform the Patient Experience Department of any special requirements, for example; braille or large print.
T: 01642 835964
E: [email protected]
The James Cook University Hospital, Marton Road, Middlesbrough, TS4 3BW.
Telephone: 01642 850850
