Background Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) causing hearing impairments affects ~1 in 10 children starting school in UK/ Europe. Studies showed children with OME hear better with bone conducting headsets. During COVID-19 we investigated whether children with deafness secondary OME, without access to audiology or grommet surgery, could be aided with bone conduction kits and the HearGlueEar app. Methods Starting July 2020, during COVID-19, children aged 3-11 years with OME and on a grommet waiting list were invited to a single arm, prospective study. They received the kit, instructions and HearGlueEar app by post. By 3 weeks parents were asked to charge and pair the devices, attend a remote consultation and complete an OMQ-14 questionnaire. Remote follow-up lasted 3 months. Outcomes: ability to use the equipment, complete the questionnaire about child hearing and behaviour before and with the equipment, declining grommet surgery or where deafness resolved, and give opinion about the intervention. Findings: 26 children enrolled. Families used the kit at home and school. Most found remote consultations positive and convenient. OMQ-14 responses were 90% positive. Three families continued with the headset to avoid grommets. Comments were - Other people have said, wow his speech is clearer. - He said over and over again, I can hear everybody, wow, wow, wow. - It is no exaggeration to say this has made an astronomical improvement to his quality of life.- She is getting on really well with the headphones - pairing them with the iPad at home is simply brilliant. Conclusion: Posting a bone conduction kit, HearGlueEar app and remote consultation is effective support for children with deafness secondary to OME. Funding: None
Management of conductive deafness from Otitis Media with Effusion (known as glue ear) in children using bone conduction headsets when grommet operations were unavailable during COVID-19.