Most parents know the signs of an ear infection. A grizzly child, a tugged ear, a night of broken sleep.
What is less well known is that fluid can stay in the ear long after the pain has gone. And while it is there, it can quietly affect how well a young child hears.
Hearing and talking are closely linked, which is why ear health matters for speech. Perth practice Kid Speak offers early intervention support for children with speech and language delays, at clinics in Shenton Park, Success and Baldivis.
This post explains what glue ear is, how it can affect speech, and what parents can watch for.
What glue ear actually is
Behind the eardrum is a small space called the middle ear. It is normally filled with air.
Sometimes, often after a cold or an ear infection, fluid builds up there and doesn’t drain away. This is commonly called glue ear.
According to Healthdirect, glue ear is most common in children aged 1 to 6. Their Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat, are smaller and more easily blocked than an adult’s.
Why it often goes unnoticed
Glue ear usually doesn’t hurt. That is a big part of why it can be missed.
A child with an ear infection is usually obviously unwell. A child with glue ear may seem perfectly happy. They might just seem a little distracted, or not quite listening.
Young children also can’t tell you that sounds are muffled. They don’t know what they are missing, because they have nothing to compare it with.
How hearing affects speech
Children learn to talk by listening. They hear the words around them thousands of times before they start to use them.
When hearing is muffled, some sounds are harder to pick out. Quiet sounds such as “s”, “f” and “th” can be especially tricky. A child may miss word endings or mix up similar-sounding words.
Healthdirect notes that the hearing loss from glue ear may delay speech and language development in young children. For most children the fluid clears in time. If it hangs around for a long while, though, a child can miss out on a lot of listening practice during an important stage of learning.
Signs worth watching for
Every child is different, and none of these signs on its own means something is wrong. If you notice several, it is worth getting things checked.
- Often not responding when you call their name, especially from another room
- Asking “what?” a lot, or seeming to ignore you
- Turning the TV or tablet up louder than usual
- Talking loudly, or speaking less clearly than before
- Seeming tired, irritable or easily frustrated, particularly in noisy places
- Trouble paying attention at childcare or kindy
- Speech or language that seems slower to develop than expected
Childcare educators and kindy teachers often notice these things too. If they mention something, take it seriously and follow it up.
Getting a hearing check
If you are concerned about your child’s hearing, start with your GP or child health nurse. They can look in your child’s ears and arrange a hearing test if needed.
Healthdirect explains that hearing tests for glue ear may include audiometry, which checks how well your child hears different sounds, and tympanometry, which checks how the eardrum moves.
Many cases clear up on their own within a few months. Your doctor may suggest waiting and checking again. If the fluid doesn’t clear, they may talk with you about other options, such as a referral to an ear, nose and throat doctor.
It is also worth having your child’s hearing rechecked once the glue ear has cleared. Healthdirect recommends this, to confirm hearing has returned to normal.
Supporting speech at home in the meantime
While you wait for appointments or for fluid to clear, there are simple ways to make listening easier for your child.
Get close and face them when you talk. Being at their eye level helps them see your mouth and pick up on your expressions.
Cut background noise. Turn off the TV or music when you are chatting, and try to talk in quieter rooms when you can.
Say their name before you speak, so they know to tune in. Speak clearly and a little slower, without shouting. Raising your voice too much can distort the sounds of words.
Read together every day. Sitting close with a picture book gives your child a calm, clear chance to hear words and connect them to pictures.
Let your child’s carers know, too. If your child goes to childcare, kindy or spends time with grandparents, tell them about the glue ear. They can sit your child near the front during group time, get their attention before giving instructions and keep an eye out for any changes in how they listen or talk.
Keep a simple note of what you notice. Dates of ear infections, times your child didn’t seem to hear and any new words they start using can all be useful to share with your GP.
Where speech therapy fits in
Sometimes a child’s hearing is treated, but their speech or language is still behind. This can happen because they missed so much listening time while their hearing was affected.
In that case, a speech pathology assessment can help you understand where your child is at. Kid Speak’s early intervention page explains that if a child shows signs of speech and language delay, families should consider an assessment, and that the earlier you intervene, the more a child can gain from therapy.
Its early intervention services are available across all three of its Perth clinics. Families can start with a speech pathology assessment.
Looking after little ears
You can’t prevent every cold or ear infection, especially once children start childcare. A few habits may help keep their ears and overall health in good shape.
Keep up with your child’s routine health checks and vaccinations. Teach regular handwashing, and try to keep children away from cigarette smoke. Talk to your GP if ear infections seem to happen often.
Trust your instincts
You know your child better than anyone. If something about the way they listen or talk doesn’t seem right, it is always fine to ask.
Ear problems in young children are very common, and most clear up without lasting trouble. Getting hearing checked early, and getting speech support if it is needed, gives your child the best chance to keep learning and talking with confidence.
Last Updated: October 28, 2026 by Health Summit
Ear infections, glue ear and your child’s speech: what parents should know
Most parents know the signs of an ear infection. A grizzly child, a tugged ear, a night of broken sleep.
What is less well known is that fluid can stay in the ear long after the pain has gone. And while it is there, it can quietly affect how well a young child hears.
Hearing and talking are closely linked, which is why ear health matters for speech. Perth practice Kid Speak offers early intervention support for children with speech and language delays, at clinics in Shenton Park, Success and Baldivis.
This post explains what glue ear is, how it can affect speech, and what parents can watch for.
What glue ear actually is
Behind the eardrum is a small space called the middle ear. It is normally filled with air.
Sometimes, often after a cold or an ear infection, fluid builds up there and doesn’t drain away. This is commonly called glue ear.
According to Healthdirect, glue ear is most common in children aged 1 to 6. Their Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat, are smaller and more easily blocked than an adult’s.
Why it often goes unnoticed
Glue ear usually doesn’t hurt. That is a big part of why it can be missed.
A child with an ear infection is usually obviously unwell. A child with glue ear may seem perfectly happy. They might just seem a little distracted, or not quite listening.
Young children also can’t tell you that sounds are muffled. They don’t know what they are missing, because they have nothing to compare it with.
How hearing affects speech
Children learn to talk by listening. They hear the words around them thousands of times before they start to use them.
When hearing is muffled, some sounds are harder to pick out. Quiet sounds such as “s”, “f” and “th” can be especially tricky. A child may miss word endings or mix up similar-sounding words.
Healthdirect notes that the hearing loss from glue ear may delay speech and language development in young children. For most children the fluid clears in time. If it hangs around for a long while, though, a child can miss out on a lot of listening practice during an important stage of learning.
Signs worth watching for
Every child is different, and none of these signs on its own means something is wrong. If you notice several, it is worth getting things checked.
Childcare educators and kindy teachers often notice these things too. If they mention something, take it seriously and follow it up.
Getting a hearing check
If you are concerned about your child’s hearing, start with your GP or child health nurse. They can look in your child’s ears and arrange a hearing test if needed.
Healthdirect explains that hearing tests for glue ear may include audiometry, which checks how well your child hears different sounds, and tympanometry, which checks how the eardrum moves.
Many cases clear up on their own within a few months. Your doctor may suggest waiting and checking again. If the fluid doesn’t clear, they may talk with you about other options, such as a referral to an ear, nose and throat doctor.
It is also worth having your child’s hearing rechecked once the glue ear has cleared. Healthdirect recommends this, to confirm hearing has returned to normal.
Supporting speech at home in the meantime
While you wait for appointments or for fluid to clear, there are simple ways to make listening easier for your child.
Get close and face them when you talk. Being at their eye level helps them see your mouth and pick up on your expressions.
Cut background noise. Turn off the TV or music when you are chatting, and try to talk in quieter rooms when you can.
Say their name before you speak, so they know to tune in. Speak clearly and a little slower, without shouting. Raising your voice too much can distort the sounds of words.
Read together every day. Sitting close with a picture book gives your child a calm, clear chance to hear words and connect them to pictures.
Let your child’s carers know, too. If your child goes to childcare, kindy or spends time with grandparents, tell them about the glue ear. They can sit your child near the front during group time, get their attention before giving instructions and keep an eye out for any changes in how they listen or talk.
Keep a simple note of what you notice. Dates of ear infections, times your child didn’t seem to hear and any new words they start using can all be useful to share with your GP.
Where speech therapy fits in
Sometimes a child’s hearing is treated, but their speech or language is still behind. This can happen because they missed so much listening time while their hearing was affected.
In that case, a speech pathology assessment can help you understand where your child is at. Kid Speak’s early intervention page explains that if a child shows signs of speech and language delay, families should consider an assessment, and that the earlier you intervene, the more a child can gain from therapy.
Its early intervention services are available across all three of its Perth clinics. Families can start with a speech pathology assessment.
Looking after little ears
You can’t prevent every cold or ear infection, especially once children start childcare. A few habits may help keep their ears and overall health in good shape.
Keep up with your child’s routine health checks and vaccinations. Teach regular handwashing, and try to keep children away from cigarette smoke. Talk to your GP if ear infections seem to happen often.
Trust your instincts
You know your child better than anyone. If something about the way they listen or talk doesn’t seem right, it is always fine to ask.
Ear problems in young children are very common, and most clear up without lasting trouble. Getting hearing checked early, and getting speech support if it is needed, gives your child the best chance to keep learning and talking with confidence.
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