Then comes a possible explanation from a PHN or GP, glue ear.

 

And with that, a quiet sense of relief.

A reason.

A plan.

A hope that everything will resolve once hearing improves.

Glue ear, fluid in the middle ear, is incredibly common in childhood. It can absolutely affect how a child hears, processes language, and participates in everyday interactions. It deserves care, attention, and support.

 

But sometimes, gently, we need to widen the lens.

 

Because while glue ear can explain some things, it doesn’t explain everything. 

 

When a child experiences fluctuating hearing, the world can feel unpredictable. Sounds come and go. Words lose clarity. It makes sense that communication may look different, speech might be delayed, attention may wander, frustration may build.

 

And yet, there are other ways children communicate who they are.

 

A child who seeks deep pressure, who gets pure joy from watching the washing machine spin, who lines up toys with precision, who craves running and crashing into you, who loves bouncing on the sofa, who gags on food textures, who finds comfort in repetition, who thrives off routine and struggles with change, who moves on their tiptoes, who experiences the world in vivid sensory detail – these are not simply “side effects” of reduced hearing.

 

These are expressions of a nervous system, a way of being.

 

Glue ear can shape how a child hears the world.

 

But it does not shape who they are.

 

It’s easy to link everything back to hearing when glue ear is present. But some traits often sit outside its scope.

 

For example, tiptoe walking.

 

Tiptoe walking, even if short, sporadic and not constant, is frequently connected to sensory processing, how a child experiences movement, balance, and body awareness. For some children, it offers stability, feedback, or simply feels good in their bodies.

 

Glue ear, while it can affect balance in some cases, doesn’t typically account for ongoing patterns like this.

 

In the same way:

 

Deep sensory seeking or avoidance

Repetitive movements

A strong preference for routine

Differences in social communication beyond what hearing alone explains

 

…these invite us to look a little deeper, a little wider.

 

Not to pathologise. Not to rush.

But to understand.

When we see the whole child, we open more doors.

 

We might:

 

Use more visual communication alongside speech

Create sensory-friendly environments

Support regulation through movement and touch

Follow the child’s interests as a bridge to connection

 

These supports don’t depend on a diagnosis.

They don’t need to wait.

 

And importantly, they don’t harm a child whose differences are only related to glue ear. They simply make the world more accessible.

If a child in your care has glue ear and you’re noticing other differences, you’re not imagining things.

 

You’re observing. You’re attuning. You’re responding.

 

And that matters.

 

There’s space to explore hearing needs and neurodivergence.

There’s space to support communication and sensory experiences.

There’s space to honour uncertainty while still offering meaningful support.

 

Because children are never “just” one thing.

 

They are whole, complex, beautifully individual humans deserving of being seen in their entirety.

 

And when we allow ourselves to stay open to that fullness, we meet them where they truly are.