Addenbrooke's Hospital
Research and Development
The Rosie Hospital
What is glue ear?
Cleft (East of England Cleft Network)
Children born with a cleft palate have an increased risk of suffering from ear problems and may experience some problems with their hearing. Usually the hearing loss is temporary but occasionally, as with all children, there may be a more permanent problem.
About Glue Ear
The most common cause of hearing loss in children with a cleft palate is a condition called otitis media (commonly known as 'glue ear'). Children who do not have a cleft palate also frequently suffer with glue ear, but there is a higher incidence of the condition among those with a cleft palate.
Glue ear is a condition in which fluid (with a glue-like consistency) collects in the middle ear space behind the ear drum. It occurs because the tube (Eustachian tube) that connects the ear to the throat does not work as efficiently in early life. Normally two muscles in the soft palate cause the Eustachian tube to open when we swallow and this allows air into the middle ear. In children with a cleft palate it is thought that the muscles in the palate do not control the tube efficiently. Consequently the middle ear does not receive as much air as it should and can become full of fluid. Fluid in the middle ear prevents the ear drum vibrating and the tiny bones in the middle ear moving properly. This makes it harder for sound to travel through the middle ear to the organ of hearing (the cochlea) and therefore causes a temporary hearing loss.
If your child has glue ear the ear nose and throat (ENT) surgeon may decide to insert grommets at the same time as your child’s palate surgery.
If your child has glue ear that is not affecting their hearing or is only mildly affecting their hearing the most appropriate management may be to monitor their hearing levels and ‘keep an eye’ on how they are doing.
If your child suffers with persistent glue ear and requires grommets to be inserted several times, or if you do not wish to have grommets (re)inserted, a low powered hearing aid can be used to overcome the hearing loss caused by the glue ear.
The options that are most appropriate for your child will always be discussed thoroughly with you by your audiologist or ENT doctor.
For clear and well balanced advice and information on glue ear and the management of glue ear see the National Deaf Children's Society website.
Otoscopy
Otoscopy allows us to view the ear drum. The otoscope magnifies and illuminates the ear drum. The ear drum is thin and semi-transparent: it forms a boundary between the ear canal and the middle ear.
The appearance and movement of the ear drum are important in diagnosing glue ear.
This is a healthy tympanic membrane, which looks pearly-grey and translucent
When glue ear is present the ear drum can look dull or take on a red appearance.
Here an ear drum is fitted with a grommet .
Contact Cleft NET East:
Tel: 01223 596272
On this site:
> Neonatal Cleft lip and palate
On other websites:
> CLAPA - The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (Cambridge branch)
Offers information about cleft lip and palate as well as support for families.
> NDCS - The National Deaf Children's Society
Offers help and support to deaf children and their families.
> NHS Direct - Includes a series of pages about cleft lip and palate
