How can Otitis Media affect hearing?

When a child has fluid in the middle ear, the fluid reduces sound traveling through the middle ear. Sound may be muffled or not heard. Children with middle ear fluid will generally have a mild or moderate temporary hearing loss. (It’s as if you plugged your ears with your fingers.) However, some children have no change in their hearing.

• Mild Hearing Loss—A child may not hear or may hear very faintly the soft sounds at the beginnings and ends of words, such as the “s” in “sun” and the “t” in “cat,” and words spoken quickly such as “and.”
• Moderate Hearing Loss—A child may have trouble hearing most speech sounds, and may have trouble with short, softly spoken words and word endings. It’s important to know that some children with otitis media have no loss of hearing. A hearing loss due to middle ear fluid should go away once the fluid is gone.

How can I recognize if my child has a hearing loss?

• Having difficulty paying attention
• Showing a delayed response or no response when spoken to
• Saying “huh?” often
• Not following directions well
• Turning up sound on radios, TV, CDs
• Withdrawing from other children
• Being over-active or uncooperative

Children with temporary hearing loss may show all, some, or none of these behaviors. These behaviors may be different at each age. It is often hard to tell whether a child has a hearing problem or whether the child is just acting a certain way because of age or temperament. If you are not sure, ask your health care provider for help. The milestone chart on the following pages may also be helpful.