Glue ear

Glue ear (also known as otitis media with effusion) is a build up of sticky fluid in the middle ear space of one or both ears.

The fluid is often quite thin and runny but it may become thicker, like glue. Because the fluid stops the eardrum moving freely, it can lead to a more serious hearing problem.

About four in every five children have at least one mild bout of glue ear in early childhood and it often clears up without treatment.

Although it is extremely rare for the condition to cause lasting damage to the ear, glue ear can influence educational, behavioural and general development, sometimes with longer-term effects lasting several years. It is therefore important that parents and teachers of children affected understand the condition and the steps that they can take to minimise its impact.

When are children most likely to get glue ear?

Glue ear occurs when fluid collects in the middle ear space of one or both ears, often following ear infections or repeated colds. Glue ear is particularly common in children between the ages of two and five. This is because, in the second half of the first year of life many children begin attending day-care and mothers often stop breast-feeding. As a result, children are more exposed to infection at a time when they are losing some of their maternally conferred immunity but have not yet built up their own. At age five, children once again are more exposed to infections as they start school.

Can adults get glue ear?

Glue ear is most common in children, but it can occur in adults. As with children, glue ear in adults may follow on from a cold or from an ear infection. Children are more prone to glue ear because they have a lower resistance to infection. It is unusual for adults to have glue ear for more than a few days. Anyone doing so usually needs specialist advice.