What is glue ear?
Glue ear occurs when there is a build up of fluid in an internal part of your child’s ear called the middle ear (highlighted red in the picture). The fluid is produced by mucous glands and is essentially similar to the mucus that is produced in the nose i.e. snot! If this snot is runny, you can hear through it but if it is thick this can affect hearing. We call it glue as it can be quite sticky.
Why does glue ear impact hearing?
The glue in the middle ear reduces how effectively the tiny middle ear bones transfer sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear by preventing them from moving freely. This dampening of the sound waves results in a conductive hearing loss. Because this hearing loss is caused by the presence of the glue, when the glue clears hearing will return to normal. Children with hearing loss caused by glue ear are therefore often described as having a temporary hearing loss.
The middle ear contains three tiny bones which are the smallest bones in the body!
© katy mitchell
What causes the glue?
The middle ear is connected to the back of the nose and throat by a narrow tube called the Eustachian tube. When we swallow the Eustachian tube opens to allow fresh air to enter into the middle ear, draining any fluid secreted by the middle ear.
If the Eustachian tube closes, or becomes blocked or inflamed, fresh air can no longer reach the middle ear and the pressure falls, which can cause build up of fluid in the middle ear.
The reason why lots of young children get glue ear is because they are little! For young children, with smaller faces, the Eustachian tube is narrower and more horizontal, so it does not drain as effectively as in adults. As we grow, this tube becomes wider, with a steeper angle and adults rarely have glue ear.
Children can therefore grow out of glue ear and it is less likely to occur in children over the age of 8 years.
Down syndrome
Many children with Down syndrome have smaller Eustachian tubes and are more likely to get glue ear and an associated hearing loss.
Cleft palate
Children with a cleft palate are more likely to have glue ear. The high incidence of glue ear in cleft palate is thought to be due to Eustachian tube dysfunction.