Glue ear – a common but complicated childhood condition

Abstract

The changes in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice extends the provision for those people aged 0–25 years and focuses more on disabilities, such as hearing difficulties. There is a particular focus on anticipating needs rather than waiting for ‘special educational’ needs to develop. This paper considers the implications of these changes for educators in providing appropriate support for young people with glue ear. This common condition affects about 80% of children under 7 years of age when they are developing their social and language skills and can result in permanent hearing impairment. This paper draws upon research which adapted and combined the methodologies of Photovoice and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to encourage a small sample of young people, and their mothers, to reflect upon their experience of chronic glue ear. The participants in this research explained that there were few adaptations made in the classroom to help minimise the impact of their hearing loss. Educational professionals appear to have a low awareness about the social, behavioural and cognitive effects of the condition on pupils. This may indicate that they would benefit from training in the potential impacts of it for their pupils.