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Original poster

Glue ear in a 5 yr old - what can we do?

10 replies

foxinsocks · 10/12/2005 14:30

Poor dd has got a v blocked ear. She's had it for a while now - she hasn't got a cold but I imagine this probably started when she did have one. Normally her ears function very well - if she gets any sort of infection, she'll howl with pain, have some nurofen, go to bed and then normally 12-24 hours later, she'll wake up and her pillow/head will be caked with the gunge that has come out of her ear. This is exactly what is supposed to happen apparently - according to the doc (in an ear that deals well with infections!).

But now, I think she has had this blocked ear for several months. From chatting to the doc before (haven't been this time), there really is nothing they can do especially when previously her ear and hearing have been fine. I know there is a grommits op but the blockage hasn't been there long enough to warrant it and she's not getting repeated infections BUT it is affecting her hearing quite badly.

Is there anything else we can do? I've read a lot about hopi candles/baby oil in the ear but I'd like to hear from anyone who has tried something and found that it has worked.

OP posts:

AuntyQuated · 10/12/2005 14:44

we tried cranial osteopathy and it worked really well. the CO showed me how to do exercises each evening on DS, he loved doing them and everything improved all round. the exercises weren't difficult.

we also tried 'otovent' which is basically a device which enables children to 'pop' their ears, something they can't normally manage to do. by regularly doing this it stretches the eustacian (sp?) tube and eases the flow of fluid. how old is she? maybe she could manage to use it...i think they say from age 3. i will look for a link

AuntyQuated · 10/12/2005 14:46

little boy using otovent

Weatherwax · 10/12/2005 14:47

Tell the doctor this is affecting her. She is at school now and these are very important years. My dd has had 2 grommit operations. The first in reception year and the second the summer before going into year 2. Before she had the first operation they tested her hearing an said ther was a 40% hearing loss, she had become very good a lip reading! She became a different child to the school and she got the benefit of the education and the social aspect of school. Now she is nearly 8 the consultant wants to avoid another operation if at all possible and he is giving her antibiotics for a month. If you look at the info on the web you'll find some people saying that glue ear can lead to long term problems if left untreated. They have tested my dd's hearing and say that the underlying hearing is very good.

I thought the gunk out of the ear was the wax that melts when there is an infection. The glue is the other side of the ear drum and clears to the nose and the back of the thoat. That was my understanding.

Sorry for going on this was/is a nightmare for me and it does sound as if you GP is ignoring it. They do say that most children have an episode of glue ear which clears up on its own but as the waiting list for the consultant is a long one its good to get on the list atleast.

AuntyQuated · 10/12/2005 14:47

it worked well for DS particularly in the summer months think it was about £7-£8 from the chemist and that included 5 ballooons

AuntyQuated · 10/12/2005 14:50

weatherwax -- DS's first consultant wanted him to have grommits but i wasn't sure. consultant thought i was being unfair not allowing him to have them luckily our current consultant is prepared to try alternatives and says Ds no longer needs them. but he wants to keep monitoring him.

Original poster

foxinsocks · 10/12/2005 18:01

how hysterical! dd would love to blow up balloons with her nose! - I might try cranial osteopathy aswell - do you think they will do it on an older child? I've only heard of babies going for it.

Weatherwax, I think the GP is holding off to see if it goes away on its own (as it has done in the past). Dd has already had one op (not related to this) and I think the feeling is that unless it is 100% necessary they don't want to do another one. I think one of the factors in this is that she doesn't have persistent ear infections and hasn't had hearing problems in the past. I agree with you though, I am concerned on the impact at school and it would probably be a good idea to get some measure of her hearing loss.

OP posts:

LIZS · 10/12/2005 18:09

I've known CO being done for ear problems on a 5/6yr old.

Original poster

foxinsocks · 10/12/2005 18:13

thanks LIZS - I noticed an osteopath advertising round here so I might give them a ring.

Thanks everyone else. I'll go and visit the doc next week just to ask for a hearing test I think because even dd has admitted to us that she feels she cannot hear in that ear.

OP posts:

beep · 10/12/2005 18:19

we used cranial osteopathy and otovent very successfully too for ds2,I think he was in reception at the time.

geogteach · 10/12/2005 19:11

Homeopathy is also supposed to be good for glue ear. I got as far as researching and booking an appointment but as DS has additional hearing probs and has so many appointments I ended up cancelling as I knew he would not co-operate with taking the remedy, but it is a route that his teacher of the deaf was very keen on and had seen work on some of her other kids.

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