The human ear contains three little bones in the middle ear that help move sound vibrations from the ear drum to the inner ear, which is how your child hears. If she has fluid behind the ear drum, those sound vibrations lose their effectiveness and your child cannot hear well. The development of colds and otitis media--the buildup of fluid behind the ear drums--can impact how a child learns new words. As you learn about otitis media, learn about preventing fluid buildup.
Causes of Fluid Buildup
The anatomy of your child's ears has much to do with why he develops fluid buildup behind his ear drums. Your child has Eustachian tubes that are both shorter, more straight and horizontal than those of an adult. This makes it easier for fluid to travel from the sinuses down to the space behind the ear drums, where it accumulates. This fluid can become infected with the bacteria that dwell in the throat and nose, causing an ear infection. The Eustachian tube can also be blocked by infections and large adenoids, states the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
In addition, if you allowed your child to suck on a propped-up bottle when he was a baby, tiny amounts of formula may have trickled back into the space behind his ear drums, states Dr. Karen Sadler, writing for BabyZone.
Persistent Fluid Buildup
When fluid builds up and stays behind the ear drum, it is easier for infections to begin--either viral or bacterial. Nearly one month after treatment for an ear infection has ended, your child may still have fluid behind her ear drums. The antibiotics she took kill the germs; the fluid is left behind.
Because your child still has a buildup of fluid in her ears, she experiences a mild, temporary hearing loss. If this buildup is not taken care of, the hearing loss can lead to speech problems. When your child cannot hear because of fluid in her ears, this delays her language development.
Clearing Fluid
Your child's body deals with the fluid buildup behind his ear drums. If he has frequent bouts of otitis media and the fluid does not go down, your doctor may want to discuss inserting ear tubes into his ears. This is a same-day surgical procedure that allows the doctor to insert one small, hollow tube into each ear drum. These tubes help drain the accumulated fluid behind the ear drums. These tubes usually fall out on their own within a year; your child's hearing ability is improved since he now has no fluid to block the sound waves he needs to hear.
About the Fluid
The fluid in your child's ears can be a clear, watery substance that carries no bacteria or it can transform into a glue-like, thick fluid that does not allow for the transition of the sound waves your child needs to hear what is going on around her.
The clear fluid leads to a slight decrease in your child's ability to hear well. The thicker, more glue-like substance can lead to a permanent loss of hearing.
Link Between Otitis Media and Speech Problems
Your toddler is at a critical time in speech and language development. If he cannot hear others talking around him, he cannot learn new words or how to form those words correctly. If he has already begun to lose hearing, he is missing out on learning how to communicate verbally.
Because otitis media without infection doesn't always cause symptoms such as fever or ear pain, you may not know your child has a problem or that he is losing his hearing. If the fluid buildup goes on for any length of time--as short as a few weeks or as long as several months--your child falls behind in speech and language development.
Preventive Measures
Help your child avoid as many ear infections as possible by washing your hands to prevent the spread of colds within your family--require everyone else to wash their hands as well. While your child is still an infant, hold her when you give her a bottle--do not prop her up with pillows and blankets or allow her to drink a bottle while she lies flat on her back. Treat allergy symptoms in your toddler, especially when she is experiencing nasal symptoms--runny nose, post-nasal drip and congestion. If your child does appear to be developing symptoms of an ear infection, take her to the doctor for treatment.
