Frequently used terms explained
Otitis media with effusion (OME)
The medical name for glue ear
Not to be confused with Acute Otitis Media which is when the fluid in the middle ear is caused by an infection
Conductive hearing loss
When sound is unable to effectively pass from the outer and middle ear to the inner ear
Unilateral hearing loss
Loss of hearing in one of your child’s ears
Bilateral hearing loss
Loss of hearing in both of your child’s ears
Audiologist
A health care professional who will test your child’s hearing and provide specialist support and advice
Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
A healthcare department that provides advice/treatment for conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat
Otoscopy
a handheld device that has a magnifying glass and light (an otoscope) is used to see if there is fluid behind your child’s eardrum. This fluid is what is referred to as the ‘glue’ in glue ear. Otoscopy is likely to be carried out by your GP and by audiologists or other medical professionals involved in your child’s care.
Tympanometry
this involves placing a small ear plug in the ear canal. Pressure is applied to the eardrum and the equipment records how the eardrum responds to the change in pressure. Normally the eardrum will move back and forth and this will be shown as a peaked curve. When there is fluid present, the eardrum will be rigid and the graph will show a flat line. Tympanometry is carried out by audiologists.
Audiometry
this is a hearing test which will find the quietest sounds that your child can hear. Your child shows that they can hear by turning when they hear a sound to a visual reward (visual reinforcement audiometry) or by carrying out an action with a toy, such as placing a toy person in a boat (play audiometry). Audiometry is carried out by audiologists.
Audiogram
A graph that shows the quietest sounds a child can hear at different frequencies (pitches).