How can I reduce the chances of my child getting glue ear?

The main risk factors for glue ear relate to smoking, day care, breast feeding, and allergies.

Smoking

'Environmental Tobacco Smoke' or ETS, is the tobacco smoke that we breathe from others smoking nearby. It is known to be a health risk for many diseases. This means that even non-smokers are at risk from tobacco-related diseases if they spend a lot of time in smoke-filled rooms. Several research studies have shown that glue ear is one of the conditions to which children are susceptible if they spend a lot of time in smoky conditions.

If you are a smoker and unable to give up, you can help your child by not smoking in any room where your child will be. If you are not a smoker but know that your child is often in a smoke-filled environment (for example at the grandparents'), then think about any suggestions you could make to others to prevent this.

As with all risk factors, not every child who breathes in ETS will suffer from glue ear, and not all those who have glue ear will breathe in a lot of ETS. All we know is that children are more likely to get glue ear if they do breathe in a lot of ETS.

Day care

Children attending groups such as nursery or play-school with a large number of other children are more prone to acute infections and glue ear.

Breast feeding

Breast milk is nature's way of providing infants with a lot of the nutrients they need to fight off infections in the first few months of life. It also helps prevent the development of allergies. Some studies show that children who are breast-fed are less likely to get early attacks of glue ear. This is probably because some of the mother's immunity to infection is passed on to the child.

If you are not able to breast-feed, don't worry. This is unlikely to be the reason why your child has glue ear. You might be able to help by reducing other risks.

Allergies

In a few children, food allergies or allergy-related conditions such as hay fever and asthma may also make the child more susceptible to glue ear. If you suspect that your child is allergy-prone, you should seek medical advice. You may be advised to reduce the intake of any foods to which your child might be allergic, or reduce exposure to household pets if they are a problem.