Glue ear and hearing test at 4yrs

**cheeky_biscuit** · 18-04-2012, 06:05pm

Dd2 has been under ENT since around 10m old, she had her first set of grommets at 15m. Since she was 19/20m old she hasn't had an ear infection. She saw the consultant just before her 3rd birthday and the grommets were still in place. Earlier this year we saw the consultant and the grommets are out. However she refused to do the hearing test. I've had concerns about her hearing for about 6m, the consultant agreed she needed the hearing test so we went back today.
At the weekend we were at the docs with her as she has a throat infection & is on antibiotics for that.
During the hearing test the audiologist was asking her if she was still playing "press the button when you hear the beep" & she said she was so I knew it wasn't great. The levels came out at around 30db for one ear and 40db for the other

I think that's the minimum she's hearing as the consultant said it should be close to zero. She did the reaction test for vibrations from the ear drum and she got 2 flat lines.
The consultant asked me about my concerns so I went through them and gave him examples which he thinks tie up with her audiology result. However with the current throat infection he doesn't want to do anything rash. He got a good look in her ears and he said they were consistan with glue ear- the question is whether it's chronic. So we go back in July (NhS 6weeks)
Bit of an offload, sorry

What are the chances of her hearing veing better when we go back? Tbh her hearing has seemed better this week than normal.
She doesn't hear bikes coming along a footpath and I realised today if we are out i automatically touch her before i speak to her or she won't hear me

**mrsdunny207** · 18-04-2012, 06:12pm

DD hasn't had the same history that yours has but she failed her reception hearing test in both ears at school (twice) and was referred to ENT at a local specialist centre and she failed the test again (one ear worse than the other) but borderline on her good ear. They ended up re-testing another 2 times (6 months gap each time I think) and at the last test her hearing was basically fine although she has one more retest... So the long rambling amswer is that the glue can clear on it's own over time.

**claireh** · 18-04-2012, 07:19pm

As you know my little lad has glue ear. I spoke with my FIL at length for long term outlooks and he reassured me by saying that the structure of a child's face changes drastically by age 5 which usually results in the eustacheon (sp?) tubes straightening out.

Also your little girl is poorly so that must also be a contributing factor.

I would put money on the test results being vastly improved by the time you have your next appointment.

I do understand why you are worried though.

**cheeky_biscuit** · 18-04-2012, 07:36pm

I'm hoping this hearing test is her worst case test and the next one comes back at least better, if not ok.
I keep hearing different ages for them growing out of it.
Is glue ear ever misdiagnosed? Could there be another problem there? DH had grommets at around 7yrs and I had ear problems until I was about 12/13 (although I didn't have glue ear I have moderate hearing loss in 1 ear).

**Lilybett** · 18-04-2012, 07:36pm

If her hearing is already starting to improve this week then it is a good sign. Hopefully it's getting better on it's own and frequently does but if it's not you may be looking at grommets again to clear it, we had to go down this route and have been warned that once the grommets are out again it is possible for the glue ear to come back.

Don't want to be doom and gloom but if she can't hear bikes or you are having to touch her to get her to hear you it's best to be prepared for both eventualities.

**cheeky_biscuit** · 20-04-2012, 09:58pm

Thanks for your reply lilybet. I think your right, she probably will need an2nd set of grommets. Watching her at gymnastics tonight she clearly can't hear (I have told them she's having problems). It just makes me really down thinking about it.
She does phonics in a group of 3 at nursery so thankfully she doesn't seem to be missing out and is doing really at nursery.

**Julesb** · 21-04-2012, 12:23am

When her throat has cleared completely and as long as she hasn't got a runny/blocked nose, it might be worth giving one of these a shot, if you haven't already.

We had very good results when DD used it.
http://www.otovent.co.uk/

**cheeky_biscuit** · 22-04-2012, 11:02am

Thanks jules, good to see grommets isn't the only option.
She's not cattarhyl ATM, but her glands are huge and throat very sore so it's all probably not helping!

**Franny** · 23-04-2012, 11:35am

I have severe hearing loss in one ear and they can do tests to see if the loss is conductive or sensorineural. Conductive means that there is probably a blockage preventing sounds getting through (glue ear would do that) but the nerve cells are intact. Sensorineural is when they nerve cells are damaged and the hearing loss tends to be more severe but can be corrected with hearing aids, now, I think, though I don't wear one because, in the 80s, when I was diagnosed, they didn't really help. I would ask next time.

**Dink** · 30-04-2012, 02:24pm

My dd wasn't hearing things I thought she should and I took her in for a check. The results indicated that she wasn't hearing around 15 or 20 decibels. I took her in a few weeks later and she was fine/normal. So, I think these do fluctuate slightly. In dd's case I think it was allergies.
I hope you get to the bottom of it.