Otovent Autoinflation Device - Clinically Effective Treatment for Glue Ear

Product Information

Around 70% of children who have grommet surgery are cured of glue ear by the time the grommet falls out. In those children where glue ear recurs, grommet surgery can be performed again. The first evolutionary glitch is the development of the Eustachian tube – which connects the middle ear to the nose and throat and thus the outside, ensuring pressure equalisation and the clearance of secretions. After the surgery, a certain amount of discomfort can be expected. Patients may also notice that their breath smells, which is normal and will go away after a week. How Probiotics Can Help

The GP may suggest trying a treatment called autoinflation while waiting for symptoms to improve. Autoinflation can help fluid in the ear to drain. If your child has tubes, their healthcare provider may recommend keeping their ears dry for two to four weeks after surgery. That means no swimming or showers. Your child can take a bath as long as their ears don’t get wet. After that time frame, your child shouldn’t have any restrictions on bathing or swimming pools. At three months the difference was similar: 49.6% of children treated with the nasal balloon had improved compared with 38.3% in the usual care group (adjusted RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.83), but this time it was statistically significant. Communicating with a deaf child. National Deaf Children's Society. www.ndcs.org.uk, accessed 27 September 2021 Glue ear affects the middle part of the ear behind the eardrum, which is a waterproof structure. Consequently, any water that enters the ear while swimming can’t make it into the middle part of your child’s ear. There is, therefore, no reason why your child can’t continue swimming while they have glue ear. Swimming doesn’t worsen the symptoms of glue ear or increase the likelihood of your child developing it. Myth twoClinical trials have shown that xylitol-based chewing gum, when used regularly, may reduce ear infections and glue ear. MIBs are not NICE guidance. They differ in format, contain no judgement on the value of the technology and do not constitute a guidance recommendation. Treatment involves your child blowing up a medical balloon with their nose 3 times a day for 1 to 3 months or until the fluid has cleared and their hearing has returned to normal.

This large, pragmatic randomised controlled trial included 320 children aged 4 to 11 recruited from 43 general practices in the UK, representing a reliable source of evidence. The children were randomly allocated to one of two groups: usual care only, or usual care plus autoinflation using a nasal balloon three times a day for one to three months. It was not possible to hide treatment allocation from the children or nurses delivering the treatment, but the researchers assessing the results were kept unaware of treatment allocations to avoid bias. NICE. Surgical management of otitis media with effusion in children. [CG60]. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; 2008.

Diagnosis of glue ear

You should take your child to see your GP who will examine your child’s ears and see if they have glue ear. Your GP may monitor your child to see if the glue ear resolves by itself. If it doesn’t, your GP will refer your child to the audiology or ear, nose and throat (ENT) department at your local hospital for a hearing test. Despite glue ear being such a common condition in children, there are still several myths that I often hear from parents. Here are the three most common: Myth one Otovent can be used in any situation where you cannot clear negative middle ear pressure (Eustachian tube dysfunction), otitis media with effusion, during or after a flight, after diving, pressure chamber treatment). If left untreated, these conditions may lead to a temporary sensation of heaviness and impaired hearing. After a few weeks, fluid may also collect in the middle ear. Otovent equalises the pressure and relieves the symptoms in the middle ear. How does the Otovent method work?