What is a conductive hearing loss?
Conductive hearing loss:
- affects the passage of sound between the ear canal, ear drum and the inner ear
- is common in young children
- may be treated with grommets or using hearing aids
- It can be temporary or permanent
Causes of conductive hearing loss
A common cause of a temporary conductive hearing loss is glue ear. This is a build-up of fluid in the middle ear which can cause a temporary deafness.
Hearing levels can fluctuate for children and young people with glue ear especially in the winter months. It can impact on a child and young person’s ability to:
- access speech
- understand routines of the setting
- reduce the ability to learn incidentally, for example, learning new words by listening to adults talk around them or use correct grammar
Please note that during the time when hearing returns to normal, it may take time for the brain to re-adjust to hearing sounds in speech and the environment. Children and young people may still need support with listening skills.
Causes of permanent conductive hearing loss
The main causes for permanent conductive hearing loss are:
- persistent glue ear: when presence of fluid in the middle ear becomes long term
- damage to the three bones in the middle ear (malleus, incus, stapes)
- microtia: under-development of the outer ear (pinna)
- atresia: the absence of the ear canal
Indications of a conductive hearing loss
- shows changes in behaviour, child or young person tires easily, has trouble concentrating and may be getting frustrated
- signs of delayed or unclear speech and language
- child or young person may ask for constant repetition of conversations, instructions or discussions
- maybe reluctant to join in with social situations or play
- may have difficulty understanding speech in background noise
Strategies that can help
- Encourage effective use of hearing technology, if hearing aids have been fitted. Ask your Teacher of the Deaf for support.
- Ask your Teacher of the Deaf to explain the child or young person’s hearing needs. Read any reports for more information and strategies.
- Gain the child or young person’s attention before talking to them
- Get close (within 1 metre) and for younger children, down to their level
- Check child or young person’s seating position. Make sure they are sat close to anyone speaking, they can see your face or their peers.
- Check understanding e.g. of instructions or new vocabulary using discreet questioning or rephrasing, for example, remind me of the difference between an equilateral and an isosceles triangle
- Speak clearly and at normal pace
- Manage background noise: in early years settings, have quiet times and quiet zones to help reduce listening fatigue
- Reduce clatter and background noise by using soft furnishings, cloth or carpet under toys such as Duplo, pencil pots lined with felt
- Use routine and repetition
- For Early Years support stories, songs and rhymes with pictures and props
- For older children and young people support with real objects, word banks, pictures etc – share these with home