Children are particularly prone to glue ear due to the shape and position of their eustachian tubes. In adults, the eustachian tubes are wide with a steeper angle but in children they are narrow and more horizontal so they do not drain as effectively as in adults. How common is glue ear? The Otovent is suitable for children from three years old. It consists of a balloon and a nosepiece. This treatment involves fitting the balloon to the nosepiece, putting the nosepiece against one nostril and keeping the other nostril and mouth closed. By blowing through the nostril, the balloon is inflated until it’s about the size of a grapefruit. The nosepiece is removed and the procedure repeated with the other nostril. You may be able to treat your child’s glue ear at home. Glue ear exercises you can have your child try to temporarily clear their middle ear include: Valsalva maneuver

Glitches in our evolutionary development mean that 80% of four-year-olds get glue ear, a temporary loss of hearing. Many have costly and unnecessary surgery despite there being excellent non-surgical alternatives.If your child has had glue ear for more than 3 months, they may be referred to a specialist for hearing tests. Glue ear is a common condition in childhood where the middle ear is filled with fluid, without infection. About one in five children around the age of two will be affected by glue ear at any given time, and in the UK, GPs see about 200,000 children each year because of it.

What happens when the teachers and families of deaf children are given intensive support and training? Some children develop glue ear after a cough, cold, or ear infection when extra mucus is made. The mucus may build up in the middle ear and not drain well down the eustachian tube. However, in many cases glue ear does not begin with an ear infection. Williamson I, Vennik J, Harnden A, et al. Effect of nasal balloon autoinflation in children with otitis media with effusion in primary care: an open randomized controlled trial. CMAJ. 2015 Jul 27. pii: cmaj.141608.Clinical trials have shown that xylitol-based chewing gum, when used regularly, may reduce ear infections and glue ear. The Otovent ® balloon can be bought online and is a non-invasive way to treat persistent glue ear, with no known risks.

The results are consistent with a 2013 Cochrane systematic review which included eight trials involving 702 patients. This is not usually a main symptom but mild earache may occur from time to time. Children and babies may pull at their ears if they have mild pain. You are recommended to use the inflation phase the first few times you use Otovent. However, only in the event that you do not feel any pressure equalisation as a result of the inflation phase should you use both phases. Who can use Otovent? Adverse effects were similar in both groups, with nosebleeds reported most frequently (15% and 14% in each group). Respiratory tract infections were more during nasal balloon treatment (15%) compared with usual care (10%).

If your child’s healthcare provider recommends testing, they’ll refer you to a specialist such as an audiologist or an ear, nose and throat doctor.