Glue ear happens when the middle ear fills with a sticky, glue like liquid instead of air.
That's a picture of the inside of an ear
I mean, I can hear, just not very well. Sometimes I can hear mami loud and clear when she is standing close to me. But sometimes, if I am watching TV or the radio is on, I don't hear her calling and she thought I had "selective hearing".
Mami knew something wasn't right when she realised I wasn't speaking as much and repeating words the same way she did. I was just repeating them as I heard them. I guess it wasn't the right way. So she took me to the GP and they sent me to the ear doctor.
The best example I can give of how I hear things is that it sounds just like when I was in mami's tummy in the waters. I hear voices, but it's just not clear.
Still don't get what I mean? Then, try this:
Stick your fingers in your ear
Have someone talk to you from far away
Now have someone talk to you very close to your face
You can hear something, but you are not really sure of what it is, right? Mami says its "muffled".
And that's how I hear!
The doctors say its very common in kids, especially toddlers like me, but that I have to be tested again very soon. If the liquid in my ears gets worse, I may have to have a little procedure.
I sure hope not because I really didn't like them sticking things in my ears!
Do you know about glue ear? Have you had it? Mami and I would like to know what you think.
I'm just glad she knows now.
See mami, I wasn't being stubborn I just couldn't hear you! I really am a good boy.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteMy youngest son had glue ear, it wasn't diagnosed until he 7 years old, until then he was labelled a naughty child at school as he was disruptive because he couldn't hear properly unless he was being shouted at! he had grommits fitted and all was well for a few months until one of the grommits fell out. He went back into hospital and then had another set fitted, again all was well for a while but then he started to suffer from really bad ear infections after several visits to ENT at hospital they decided that he was not suitable for grommits, it was decided to try T Tubes. These were inserted successfully and Ben's life was transformed. He had them removed when he was 11 years old and has suffered no problems ever since, he is now 25 years old. I remember him saying to me that before the problem was sorted that when people were speaking to him it sounded like he was under water in a swimming pool :) Jude xxx @jadlgw
Hi Jude,
ReplyDeletethanks for your comment. My little guy is just 2 but we noticed something wasn't quite right. I am relieved that we know what it is and that we can now monitor it.
I had never heard of it.Thanks for coming by the blog :)
Chick had problems when she was young too and she got to the point where she was completely deaf in one ear! I too thought that she had selective hearing!! I didn't realise how bad it was until after she had her grommits fitted and when we got home she couldn't figure out what a certain noise was and it was her footsteps on the carpet! Heartbreaking and made me feel like the worst Mother in the world! Thankfully she's now all better and truly does have 'selective' hearing :-) Hope you get it all sorted soon xx
ReplyDeleteI had grommets as a child and Mini has been tested on numerous occasions as they thought he had hear issues, but no he was just not listening! I hope Little M gets the help he needs to hear, it is so important for little ones
ReplyDeleteHugs to you Little M. You're a brave boy, nobody likes being prodded around but at least things should be looking up (listening up?) now they've worked out what's going on.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this post Mami. I sometimes wonder if Jed's hearing words clearly but it's hard to tell at this age when they're still learning to pronounce.
Meanwhile Ezra (along with mum and dad) just started wearing glasses for reading - turns out his sight struggles had affected his handwriting a lot. You do feel bad when you realise how hard they've been working!
I had glue ear when I was very very young and due to this it took them ages to diagnose.
ReplyDeleteI cried and cried and cried as an infant (I believe I was under 12 months the first time I had it) and I had to have grommets which cleared it up and then I was no longer a screamy/miserable baby woohoo!
It came back when I was about three but due to my history it was easily cleared up (with yet more grommets) and since then, not a problem :D
Hope your little one feels better soon :)
Aww poor little guy! Both my eldest 2 had glue ear. They didn't need grommits though. Often the fluid drains itself and by the time they had their follow up appointments it had gone. Hopefully that will happen for your LO too. We were told it is common in babies and toddlers because they lay back to drink milk! and if they have lots of colds.
ReplyDeleteI also had this as a child and lost 50% of my hearing. It did return though, thankfully, once the fluid drained.
Big hugs to you both.
@mummiafelice
Thank you everyone for your encouragement and positive feedback. Its scary when you get told your child doesn't hear right. But I have seen progress in his speech which is great :) At least his writing isn't affected! lol.
ReplyDeleteBabesAboutTown - interesting point about your sight and handwriting and yes,you feel bad you didn't notice before but at least they are still young.
Both my son and daughter had glue ear. I think it is a pretty common problem so I wouldn't worry too much. Just keep an eye on LM. My son's glue ear was diagnosed at school so it was already rather bad and had to have grommits inserted. After a year the grommits were gone and he was over it. My daughter didn't need grommits and now she's over the problem as well. Best of luck to LM! PS Many thanks for the Ferrero chocolates I received yesterday. I had 4 teenagers and an 11-yrs-old for dinner and the chocs were very well liked after ....Ciao. A.
ReplyDeleteMister A had lots of problems with coughs, colds and ear infections when he was a baby. He was diagnosed with enlarged tonsils and glue ear and we were told he could barely hear - we couldn't believe it because he always looked when we called his name. He ended up having his tonsils out and grommits fitted when he was 2. He's been fabulous ever since although it has made his hearing a little sensitive. It's had a fabulous effect on his health and 2 years on the GP says the grommits are still in place. Get well soon Little M x
ReplyDeleteI am 18 and have had glue ear since I was 6 months old... I have had 5 sets of grommets and after one set going wrong had to have a re-graft of my ear drum, I am still currently having problems with my ears... I guess I am an unusual case as I have never met anyone with ears like mine! But recently, as I am going off to uni in september doing drama, it has become a problem. I needed to speak to outside sources as my consultant keeps telling me to come back every three months for another hearing test, and my mum keeps saying I need a hearing aid, but what she doesn't understand is that the "underwater noise" will just be magnified by a hearing aid not get rid of it. I can't think of anything else and I need to be cured for uni.. does anyone know of anything else I can suggest??
ReplyDelete