What you can do to support Glue Ear in children with nutrition

When our daughter “failed” her hearing test at 8 months old, I panicked and thought the worst; and naturally I wanted to do everything I could to help her be able to hear better. Thankfully once I learnt the hearing loss was due to glue ear, I was able to make a simple dietary change and her hearing was back very quickly afterwards! Here are some nutritional hacks that might make a difference for your little one too.

Our daughter’s hearing test at birth was perfectly fine, so her 8-month “failure” was a real shock. It raised red flags that something in her environment wasn’t quite right. I asked what I could practically do to help, and I was told just come back for another review in 6 months. I was pretty flabbergasted that I was expected to only ‘wait and see’ if things resolved for her, during one of the most important periods of her speech, language and communication development.

Determined to act quickly, I immediately booked her in with a cranial osteopath and switched her infant formula from cow’s milk to goat’s milk as she often had quite a runny nose and seemed quite congested. Within 24 hours of this one simple diet change, she turned her head for the first time when we spoke her name (which is a lovely soft name). Her communication skills just exploded from that point and her babbling soon turned into words.

6 months later she “passed“ her follow up hearing test with flying colours which we were all thrilled about. However, to this day if she eats too many cow’s dairy products her ears feel congested and blocked for a few days afterwards. I am so glad we learnt that her glue ear was a sign that she had a mild cow’s milk intolerance from early on, when it really mattered for her development.

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What is “glue ear”?

Glue ear, also known as otitis media with effusion, is a common condition of the middle ear in babies and children, although adults can sometimes experience glue ear too. A narrow pipe called the eustachian tube joins the middle ear to the back of the nose and upper part of the throat. The eustachian tube is the part of the ear which ‘pops’ when you fly in an airplane.

Eustachian tubes can easily get congested with a sticky mucous-type fluid which often builds up after a cold or a bacterial, viral or fungal infection; and in some children it may be a subtle sign of a food intolerance or environmental allergy.

This fluid build-up can cause muffled hearing, ear discomfort/pain and even delays in speech and language development in little ones. This build-up happens more in babies and toddlers because their eustachian tubes do not drain as easily as older children and adults.

Thankfully, nutritional tweaks, live bacteria, and some lifestyle changes can go a long way in promoting eustachian tube drainage, reducing inflammation in the ears and bolstering the immune system to help tackle recurring ear infections.

How to help glue ear at home

Simple actions like chewing on hard foods like corn on the cob, lamb chops and chicken drumsticks can help the Eustachian tubes to drain and can be introduced early on in the weaning stage in babies. Swallowing or yawning can also open the eustachian tubes and allows the middle ear to get more air.

Encouraging drinking through a straw can also help the ears to drain any excess fluid. Older children may like to blow up balloons or chew gum to help “pop” the ears and open the eustachian tubes.

Seeing a cranial osteopath can be extremely helpful with the drainage, especially if they are prone to ear infections or are not old enough to master some of the suggestions above.

While these natural strategies can help reduce the severity and frequency of glue ear, it’s important to consult a medical doctor if symptoms persist, worsen, or affect hearing significantly. Sometimes medical interventions like grommets or antibiotics are necessary, and they can work alongside these natural approaches.

Nutritional support for glue ear

Diet can play a powerful role in supporting ear health and easing the symptoms of glue ear. Here are some of my top nutritional tips:

Trial an elimination of mucus-producing foods

Some people find that mucus-producing foods, particularly dairy and soya-based foods, can make glue ear worse. This is not the case for everyone, but if your child frequently struggles with ENT congestion, you might want to experiment with a short elimination of dairy and soya of a couple of weeks to ascertain if they have a mild intolerance.

We found that our daughter did not need to go fully dairy-free and did really well on goat’s milk, goat’s yoghurt and goat/sheep cheese. This way she did not need to miss out on the calcium and other nutrients which dairy products are naturally abundant in.

Manage environmental allergies

Glue ear can sometimes be linked to environmental allergies. If you suspect this is a factor for your child, consider working with an allergy consultant or a nutritional therapist to identify and reduce exposure and the effects of common allergens such as dust mites, feathers, mould or pollen.

Focus on anti-inflammatory foods

Aural inflammation from infections and food intolerances can make glue ear worse by blocking the eustachian tubes, preventing the fluid from draining. Foods that calm acute and chronic inflammation include:

Omega-3-rich foods like salmon, mackerel, sardines, ground walnuts and flaxseeds.
Vibrant fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwis, strawberries, and red peppers.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale, packed with vitamin E and antioxidants.
Turmeric is a yellow spice you can mix into dhal and curry and is a great natural anti-inflammatory.

Stay well-hydrated

Encourage plenty of fluids to keep mucus in the ears thin and mobile so it drains easily. Warm drinks such as herbal teas, ginger shots, bone broths and chicken soups can also soothe inflamed airways and aid in draining the middle ear via the eustachian tube.

Support the immune system with vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a key role in keeping the immune system robust, reducing the risk of recurrent ear infections. Encourage plenty of outdoor play in the sunshine (weather permitting) and including vitamin D-rich foods in their diet like eggs and oily fish is key. Glue ear tends to be worse in the winter so don’t forget to supplement with vitamin D during the winter months.

Boost zinc intake

Zinc is an essential mineral for a healthy immune system and can help tackle those pesky colds and sniffles that often lead to glue ear. Zinc-rich foods include pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lentils, cashews and turkey as well as meat and fish. Supplement with 1mg of zinc per year of age as a rule of thumb if you feel their immune system needs some additional support.

Live bacteria

Certain live bacteria probiotic strains are especially helpful for ear, nose, and throat health. These include lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium lactis. These specific live bacteria strains are known to support the immune system and reduce the frequency of the colds and infections which can trigger the glue ear in the first place. Streptococcus salivarius (Blis K12) is a probiotic strain which helps reduce nursery absenteeism and is helpful for sore throats as well as inner ear health.

Round Up

Glue ear can be challenging, especially if it kicks in when your little one is starting to talk, but with the right combination of nutritional support, gentle interventions and professional advice, it’s often manageable. If you’d like more tailored support for your child’s ear health, the NatureDoc baby and toddler clinical team is here to help. Together, we can keep those little ears (and big ones too!) become healthier and help them to hear properly.

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