MESHGuides

This column provides information about how Glue Ear is diagnosed.

It is important to monitor middle ear fluid to differentiate between that which is temporary, possibly due to a cold and persistent ongoing Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue Ear).

This column explains what Glue Ear is and how it is caused. Glue Ear is common in the first few years of life and the reasons for this will be explained.

An awareness of the symptoms of Glue Ear will help early identification.

Understanding what it sounds like to hear with Glue Ear is important to promote appropriate interventions.

Congestion in the ear is very common in young children and doesn’t always cause a hearing loss.  Glue Ear is the term used when the congestion is persistent and is causing a hearing loss.

Many children will have Glue Ear before they start school.  This will clear in most cases and intervention will not be needed.  For some children however, Glue Ear can be persistent, resulting in a hearing loss that can impact speech and language development and adversely affect listening and behaviour.

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All of us have certain knowledge systems from which our choices and behaviour stem. For this specific study the knowledge system was indigenous in nature, and accordingly indigenous knowledge systems formed an important part of understanding the coping behaviours of the participants. Indigenous knowledge systems refers to “the total knowledge and skills a specific group of people in a specific location possess which enables them to manage and benefit from their environment as much as possible” (Odora Hoppers, 2008, p.29).

Cicchetti, D. & Curtis, J. (2007). Multilevel perspectives on pathways to resilient functioning. Development and Psychopathology. 19, 627-629. doi: 10.1017/S0954579407000314

Similar to coping resources, sources of stress (adversity) can be located within a person (intrapersonal), between people (interpersonal) or located within the physical environment. Adversity can also be episodic or chronic (Ebersöhn, 2013).