Diagnosis of Glue ear

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Glue ear is often detected through routine hearing tests. The child may be unaware there is a hearing problem. They may seem slow in learning new words, or appear to be uninterested or not able to pay attention.

The GP will first check to see if the ears are being blocked by an object or substance such as earwax. If this is not found, the GP will examine the eardrums through an illuminating instrument (an auriscope or an otoscope) that is pushed gently into the ear canal.

If the child has glue ear, the doctor will see that the eardrum has been sucked inwards. This is because when the drainage tube is blocked, the air in the middle ear is absorbed into the blood in the middle-ear lining.

Other signs that there is fluid in the middle ear include:

The eardrum is not moving and vibrating properly,
Bubbles or fluid are visible,
The eardrum has become yellow or amber in colour.

The doctor will also check the size of the adenoids to see if they are unusually enlarged and blocking the Eustachian tube.

A hearing test (audiometry) will be performed to find out how severe it is; in younger children and infants, distraction tests or the McCormick Toy test can be used. Children less than four years old, or older children who have persistent glue ear or a complicating factor such as cleft palate or Downâ€™s syndrome, will be referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist.