Otitis Media with Effusion

Glue ear, fluid behind the eardrum without acute infection

Overview

Otitis media with effusion, widely known as glue ear, is a build up of fluid in the middle ear without the pain and fever of an acute infection. It is very common in young children, often following a cold or an ear infection, because their Eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal. The fluid dampens eardrum movement and causes a mild to moderate conductive hearing loss that may go unnoticed apart from inattention or speech delay. Most cases clear without treatment within a few months; persistent cases with hearing impact may be managed with ventilation tubes or hearing aids.