When her son stopped reacting to her voice or the noises around him, Maggie McCarthy became worried about his hearing. She had some cause for concern, as hearing problems were a feature on both sides of the family.
“Both Daniel’s father and I have family members with hearing impairments, so initially we thought the worst – that Daniel might be deaf,” she said. “We were reassured by the fact that we believed Daniel could hear when he was a baby, as he would smile or turn his head, but clearly something wasn’t quite right.”
By the age of two, Daniel’s speech was behind that of other children. Maggie noticed that while his friends were babbling away or attempting words and short sentences, Daniel often seemed in a world of his own. He didn’t even try to speak but pointed at what he wanted and preferred to play on his own, even favourite friends who had been invited round to play.
Thinking back, she said, Daniel had suffered a heavy cold a few weeks before she noticed changes in his behaviour and had suffered bouts of hay fever that Spring.
She now believes these were the likely cause of his problems.
What is glue ear?
Glue ear (known medically as Otitis media with effusion, or OME) is one of the most common childhood illness and happens when fluid gathers in the middle ear.
It is thought that one in five pre-school children have glue ear at any one time, and eight out of ten will experience it by the age of 10.
Why does glue ear happen?
Glue ear occurs when the middle ear – which contains the three bones hammer, anvil and stirrup that help us to hear – become blocked with a sticky fluid.
Experts believe this happens when children have colds or ear infections because the eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat, is not yet vertical as it is in adults and can’t clear the channel effectively. If air can’t get into the middle ear, then it can affect hearing because it becomes harder for sound to pass through.
What causes glue ear?
Several things can cause glue ear. Usually, it is colds and ear infections, but it can also be the result of allergies and even passive smoking. Children who have cleft palate or genetic conditions like Down’s syndrome may also be more susceptible because their eustachian tubes tend to be smaller.
How do you know if your child has glue ear?
Doctors say there are several tell-tale signs. Changes in behaviour, becoming tired more easily and a lack of concentration can be symptoms of the condition.
A lack of response when called or preferring to play alone are also indications. Of course, these can be confused with other things in a growing child such as impoliteness or stubbornness but it’s worth checking out if there are medical reasons why you child might be displaying behaviour that is usually out of character.
Children might ask for the TV to be turned up or become easily distracted when an adult is speaking to them. They may also complain of earaches and tinnitus, a buzzing or ringing noise in their ears.
What should I do if I think something is wrong?
When Maggie noticed the changes in Daniel, she did what all parents should do – contacted the family’s GP.
“The doctor suspected glue ear straight away given Daniel’s recent illness but suggested waiting a couple of weeks in case it cleared up on its own,” Maggie said. “When it didn’t, we tried a course of antibiotics. These helped a little, but Daniel still displayed signs of hearing impairment and wasn’t reacting unless someone was speaking very loudly or was physically close to him.
“I even spotted him increasingly looking at people’s lips while they were speaking. He was inadvertently starting to learn to lip read.”
How is glue ear treated?
When the GP found that Daniel’s hearing wasn’t improving, he was referred to the paediatric audiology department at the local hospital. Children may also be sent to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
Assessments were carried out and it was decided that Daniel’s condition would be monitored for two or three months to see if it would clear up on its own.
Glue ear can also be treated using hearing aids, or grommets. These are small plastic tubes that are inserted into the child’s ear which help to drain away any fluid and to keep the ear clear. Grommets fall out naturally after a few months as the health of the ear improves.
In some cases, and failing all else, surgery may be needed to remove small glands at the back of the nose, called adenoids.
“In the event, Daniel didn’t need any further treatment and the glue ear cleared up on its own after a few months,” Maggie said. “We were all set for him to have grommets as the audiologist advised this as a way forward, but in the end, they weren’t needed.
“It was really noticeable that his speech and general behaviour changed considerably once the problem had cleared up. He became much happier and more outgoing and wanted to see his friends again. It had clearly been getting him down.”
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