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All About Ears!

What is Otitis Media?


Otitis media is a general term that refers to a number of problems that are caused by the inflammation of the middle ear. When this occurs, pus or fluid builds up in the ear canal behind the ear drum, which causes pain and mild deafness. Sometimes the ear drum can burst, releasing the fluid and making the child feel better. Middle ear infections are caused by either bacteria or viruses and can be triggered by a cold. Babies and young children are more likely to develop middle ear infections because they are still building up their immunity. Once a child reaches around the age of 6, infections become less common as the tube connecting the nose to the ear, the Eustachian tube, is mature.

What is Glue Ear?


This is when the ear fills up with thick fluid, and can develop after a middle ear infection. If antibiotics cant clear the pus, an operation may be needed. A small hole is made and a tube called a grommet is inserted to help drain the fluid.

What are the symptoms of ear infections? 4/5 children will have a middle infection.
Earache Headache Fever Discharge from the ear Mild deafness Difficulty sleeping Loss of appetite

Types of Hearing Loss

Information from www.asha.org, http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.a u and www.australianhearing.com.au

Hearing loss can be categorised by which part of the auditory system is damaged. There are three basic types of hearing loss: Conductive hearing loss Sensorineural hearing loss Mixed hearing loss
Conductive hearing loss occurs when sound is not conducted efficiently through the outer earcanal to the eardrum and the tiny bones (ossicles) of the middle ear. Conductive hearing loss usually involves a reduction in sound level or the ability to hear faint sounds. This type of hearing loss can often be corrected medically or surgically. Some possible causes of conductive hearing loss:

Fluid in the middle ear from colds Ear infection (otitis media) Allergies (serous otitis media) Poor eustachian tube function Perforated eardrum Benign tumors Impacted earwax (cerumen) Infection in the ear canal (external otitis) Presence of a foreign body Absence or malformation of the outer ear, ear canal, or middle ear

Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) occurs when there is damage to the inner ear (cochlea), or to the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Most of the time, SNHL cannot be medically or surgically corrected. This is the most common type of permanent hearing loss. SNHL reduces the ability to hear faint sounds. Even when speech is loud enough to hear, it may still be unclear or sound muffled. Some possible causes of SNHL:

Illnesses Drugs that are toxic to hearing Hearing loss that runs in the family (genetic or hereditary) Aging Head trauma

Malformation of the inner ear Exposure to loud noise

A mixed hearing loss is when a conductive hearing loss occurs in combination with a sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL). In other words, there may be damage in the outer or middle ear and in the inner ear(cochlea) or auditory nerve.

How to Read an Audiogram


The following diagram shows the highlighted areas that represent different degrees of hearing loss when reading an Frequency (Hz) audiogram.
250 8000 Normal 500 1000 2000

4000 -10 0 10 20 30 40 Intensity (dB HL) 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 Mild

Moderate Severe

Profound

Degrees of hearing loss

(Information from Australian Hearing)

Hearing loss is described in terms of the degree of the impact on a person's everyday life. The degree of a person's hearing loss is measured in decibels (dB) Mild: 21-45 dB You would have some difficulty hearing soft speech and conversations but would manage in quiet situations with clear voices. A hearing device will assist most hearing problems in this range. Moderate: 46-65 dB You would have difficulty understanding conversational speech and more so in the presence of background noise. TV and radio would be turned up. A hearing device will assist most hearing difficulties if speech discrimination is good and background noise low. Severe: 66-90 dB Normal conversational speech is inaudible. A hearing device will amplify many speech sounds. The clarity of speech heard is likely to be significantly affected and visual cues will assist in understanding speech. Profound: 91 dB + There is great inconsistency in the benefit derived from a hearing device. Some can understand clear speech face to face in places with good auditory conditions when wearing a hearing device. Others find it impossible. Susannah Folley ISTL

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