How Is Your Child Deaf? What If He or She has Glue Ear? A Best Guide

How does your child seem deaf? You have obviously had some clue to this or you wouldn't be here to start with. Perhaps he or she has glue ear? Have you considered this? Well, here is the best guide to looking for the signs and symptoms.

This article targets people involved with young children. The objective is to identify whether the child is suffering from deafness and exam if the possible cause is glue ear. This is where there is a fluid build-up behind the eardrum.

This interferes with the sound waves travelling to the small bones in the ear, which hinder the brain's ability to decipher and transfer those messages. Ultimately, this leads to temporary deafness.

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Young children can’t communicate as well as older ones. It is up to the people who care for them to observe as to whether health, emotional and psychological problems are developing. You cannot simply ask a young child how they are feeling. This has to be seen and be predicted. It is through their behaviour that this deafness can be identified.

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Changing behaviour patterns may give you an indication of deafness. They may have a change in their speech or how they socialise with others. A child may not respond to you when you speak to them out of their view. You may notice that when you do speak face to face that their eyes focus on your mouth rather than eye to eye.

This is because they are trying to make out what you are saying by other clues. Examples of this are facial expressions, shape of mouth in action (similar to lip reading). They may sound louder as if shouting when attempting to communicate. This is because they are responding in a relative way in response to what they are hearing. They may not be able to hear themselves as they used to, so have adjusted their sounds naturally to counteract.

Their perception of sound, therefore, changes and this can be demonstrated through their behaviour. They may have the television louder than it used to be.

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• Behaviour patterns may change.
• A change in how the child interacts with others
• No response when there is a noise from behind them.
• They may look as though they are lip-reading you.
• They may seem like they are shouting.
• The television may be set louder.

These are suggestions, but ultimately the best person to notice a change in behaviours is the family who knows the child at best. It is, therefore, important that you note these changes before reporting them to a professional knowledgeable in this field.

Glue ear is associated with a recent illness, cold or infection, for example ear ache. If these behaviours have been followed from a recent illness or infection, then it is likely that the child may have glue ear (the medical term for glue ear is otitis media with effusion).

If this is not cleared up naturally, the Doctor might prescribe antibiotics.

A consultant told me that children that suffer with glue ear are more likely to show signs in winter when viruses and bugs are more persistent. It is also a common condition that affects 90% of children at some point up to the age of ten. Click Here for Source

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• Glue ear is associated with a recent infection
• Most of the time glue ear clears up naturally
• Signs of glue ear is more likely to occur at winter times
• 90% of children has experienced glue ear up to the age of ten
• The medical term for glue ear is otitis media with effusion

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Most common in children, glue ear develops as a result of a possible infection. The tube behind the eardrum becomes thick with glue like substance. This blocks sound vibrations from interacting with the inner ear, thereby giving a muffling effect and distorting what is heard.

This is a video animation compiled by Bupa that helps to explains what glue ear is.

In summary:

• The Eustachian tube becomes blocked with a glue like substance
• This blocks the sound waves from vibrating through the ear drum
• This leads to hearing loss
• The glue like substance maybe a result of an infection
• Glue ear, or otitis media with effusion, will clear up naturally in most children.

If after three months the deafness has not gone away, it is advisable to go through a series of assessments.

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The procedure, if left and the glue ear remains, may have a marked affect on the development of a young child. This is what was thought to have happened to my son prior to his diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. Please click here for ‘You think your child has Asperger’s?’

There is a genetic component that makes people more susceptible to contracting glue ear. It may be asked during the process whether there has been susceptibility within the family of glue ear.

• Glue ear has a genetic link

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• If left untreated and the glue ear continues to cause deafness, this could lead to a hinder in a child’s development growth.

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Treatment is generally offered if the symptoms last for more than three months. The process of assessment consists initially with your G.P. who may use an instrument called an Otoscope. This is used to detect the presence of fluid behind the eardrum.

A specialist from the ear, nose and throat department (ENT) may assess the child via tympanomentry and an audiogram. This will show the specialist as to the extent of fluid to the ear or ears and how much sound has been lost.

• The G.P. completes an initial assessment with the use of an Otoscope. He then refers the patient for further investigation with the ear, nose and throat department.

• The ENT specialist performs two tests on the child – tympanomentry and via an audiogram

If it is felt that the affects warrant a small operation, the child is then referred to a pre-operative assessment and an appointment is made for the procedure.

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This is typically a small operation under general anaesthetic.  The child is normally in hospital for day surgery for a few hours. The procedure only actually lasts a matter of minutes.  A hole is created in the eardrum and a grommet is fitted to keep the hole open.  This allows the fluid to drain away. 

The procedure is safe and has miraculous and instantaneous affects. Once the child has fully recovered, they can go home and continue life normally. Within a year, however, the grommet naturally falls out. It looks like this.

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Although this is used to educate teachers, it is useful for everyone!  If you are a teacher, parent or health care professional, this book can help in the understanding of hearing loss.  The implications of glue ear can lead to this hearing loss and devastating effects on development and skills of the sufferer.   

This essential guide is informative and clearly gives teaching strategies that has been long waited for.  You will not find another product that has been professionally produced and informative in the realms of glue ear and hearing loss.  A much needed book that comes highly recommended!

For more information and to place in your basket, please click on the icon below.  Remember, Amazon is a recommended seller and you will not go wrong with purchasing this great book!

Although this has become more the traditional method of treatment, there are other forms that suggest using air to help ease the glue substance away from the ear. This is with the use of a balloon or an air pump instrument. The grommets, however, has been effective for my son and many others, although a refit is often required.

© This work is covered under Creative Commons License

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