| About the ear. The ear is made up of three parts | | | | exact cause is still unclear. However most |
| - the outer, middle and inner ear. Under normal | | | | researchers believe that it is most likely due to |
| circumstances, sound waves come into the outer | | | | the auditory tube not functioning properly. The |
| ear and touch the eardrum, causing the eardrum | | | | amount of air and fluid in the middle ear may |
| to shake back and forth. Immediately behind the | | | | change if the auditory tube is blocked or |
| eardrum is the middle ear, which contains three | | | | narrowed. When the auditory tube is blocked, air |
| tiny bones (in fact they are the smallest bones in | | | | get absorbed by the nearby cells in the middle |
| the body!) called the malleus, incus and stapes, | | | | ear, a vacuum develop, causing fluid to seep into |
| collectively known as the ossicles. The vibrations | | | | the middle ear by the nearby cells.Is glue ear |
| transmit from the eardrum to these tiny bones in | | | | common? Yes, it affects seven in ten children at |
| the middle ear. The bones then pass the vibration | | | | some stage in their life. Boys are at greater risks |
| to a structure in the inner ear called the cochlea. | | | | than girls. One episode predicts another, children |
| The vibrations cause special cells in the cochlea to | | | | who have one episode are likely to have |
| move, generating 'signals' which are sent down | | | | recurrent glue ears. Other risk factors include:- |
| the nerve to the brain, so we 'hear'. Air normally | | | | Lives at home where people smoke.- Have a |
| fills the space in the middle ear. The middle ear is | | | | family history of glue ears (siblings who have glue |
| connected to the throat by a structure called the | | | | ears)- Have recurrent cough and cold.- Were |
| auditory tube or the Eustachian tube. The function | | | | bottle fed rather than breast fed.What are the |
| of Eustachian tube is to normalize or equalize air | | | | symptoms of glue ear? Dulled hearing. This is by |
| pressure between the middle ear and the | | | | far the commonest symptom. Sometime children |
| atmosphere. This tube is normally closed, | | | | who are affected may become completely deaf. |
| however, from time to time, it opens to allow air | | | | Hearing loss can range from mild to severe. If it |
| to get in and fluid to drain out.Tell me more about | | | | persists, it will affect the child's normal intellectual |
| glue ear. Glue ear is a condition when the middle | | | | development.Pain. This is uncommon, but mild |
| ear, which is normally filled with air, becomes filled | | | | earache may occur from time to time. Affected |
| with fluid. The fluid looks and feels like glue and | | | | children may pull at their ears if they have |
| hence the name of the condition. The correct | | | | pain.Behavioral problems. Children with glue ear |
| medical term used to describe glue ear is 'otitis | | | | tend to have behavioral problems and slower |
| media with effusion' or OME. Commonly, only one | | | | speech development. These are commonly due to |
| ear is affected, however both ears can become | | | | the fact that they cannot hear well.Can it be |
| affected as well. As the density in the middle ear | | | | treated? Yes. However, most glue ears will |
| changes from low to high as air is replaced by | | | | resolve on their own. If glue ear persists, surgery |
| fluid, the vibrations made by the sound saves in | | | | may be needed to remove the glue-like fluid from |
| the eardrum and the bones dampen. As a result | | | | the middle ear and to place a 'grommet' |
| of that, the cochlea receives low volume 'signals'. | | | | (ventilation tube) in the ear drum. The grommet is |
| Glue ear commonly affects children, however, | | | | a tiny device which acts like an auditory tube. It |
| adults can be affected as well.What are the | | | | sits across the eardrum connecting the outer and |
| causes of glue ear? Researchers are still searching | | | | middle ears, hence allowing pressure in the middle |
| for the cause and mechanism of glue ear. The | | | | ear to normalize or equalize with the atmosphere. |