MESHGuide – Glue Ear

This MESHGuide has been designed to give a greater understanding about Glue Ear, how it can be diagnosed and appropriate interventions that might be considered.  There is a high incidence of Glue Ear in pre-school children and the results of epidemiology studies are included. Young children can become frustrated because they are unable to hear speech clearly and their speech and language may be delayed as a result of a temporary hearing loss caused by Glue Ear.  There is a need for greater awareness of the symptoms of Glue Ear in pre-school and nursery settings to ensure that appropriate intervention takes place and strategies to minimise the impact of a hearing loss are used.

This guide has been written to provide Teachers of the Deaf access to relevant research, publications and information that may be useful for training.  For parents, the guide provides a useful overview with links to current NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) Guidelines and advice about ways to help.  It is hoped that the Guide will be used by staff in pre-schools and nurseries to promote a greater awareness of the significant impact that Glue Ear can have on learning in the early years.

This guide is one in a series of Deaf Education MESHGuides.