Otovent Autoinflation Device - Clinically Effective Treatment for Glue Ear

Product Information

No treatment is usually advised at first as the outlook is good. Typically, a doctor may advise that you wait three months to see if the glue ear clears. Watchful waiting is sometimes called active monitoring. Watchful waiting isn't usually an option for some children - eg, those with Down's syndrome or cleft palate. Balloon treatment Recent research has found that children who use the nasal balloon were 40% more likely to have their ears cleared of fluid after 1 month compared to children who had watchful waiting alone. The success rate is related to using the mouth for auto-inflation instead of the nose, which was the only described method previously, and by creating auto-inflation games adapted to the age and collaboration of the child to make it fun. Adding a pump also allows for gradual pressure increase without the active collaboration of the child. If a child’s hearing loss is severe, or they’ve had it for a while, they may have problems with speech and language. Their listening skills can also be affected and these things together can affect their progress at nursery or school. However, the gluey fluid is a good food for germs (bacteria) and ear infections are more common in children with glue ear. This may then cause bad earache for the duration of an infection. Always have a painkiller such as paracetamol in your home in case earache develops. Development and behavioural changes

This is a plain English summary of an original research article. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and reviewer(s) at the time of publication. 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. Children are particularly prone to glue ear due to the shape and position of their eustachian tubes. In adults, the eustachian tubes are wide with a steeper angle but in children they are narrow and more horizontal so they do not drain as effectively as in adults. How common is glue ear?

Their purpose is to provide objective information on device and diagnostic technologies to aid local decision-making by clinicians, managers and procurement professionals. By making this information available, NICE helps to avoid the need for NHS organisations to produce similar information for local use.

Ear, nose and throat. Oxford handbook of general practice. Oxford Medicine Online. oxfordmedicine.com, published June 2020 NICE. Surgical management of otitis media with effusion in children. [CG60]. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; 2008. The balloon needs to be inflated 3 times per day in each nostril, for example in the morning, after school and before bed. It is good to try and make blowing up the balloon part of your child's daily routine like when they are cleaning their teeth. Are there any side effects? As autoinflation has to be done several times a day, it's not usually recommended for children under 3 years old. You can prevent your child from getting glue ear by reducing their risk of ear infections. Ways to reduce your child’s chances of developing an ear infection include:

Treatments for glue ear

If your child has glue ear, you may have lots of questions about the condition. Your child’s healthcare provider can answer anything you’re concerned about. Questions you may want to ask your child’s provider include: Try to avoid your child diving or jumping into the water as this increases the outside pressure and forces water through the grommet into the middle ear. The new generation of devices have a face mask that is used to cover the nose and mouth of a child. The mask is connected to a tube with a balloon on one end and a one-way valve on the other that allows air to enter. Although it is more common in children, it affects a significant number of adults too. In fact, about 1/3 of those who suffer from glue ear are adults.