Conductive hearing loss facts for kids

Conductive hearing loss is one of the main types of hearing loss. It happens when sound is blocked from going through the outer and middle ear into the inner ear and will only make noises sound less loud.

Most of the time, conductive hearing loss can be treated but how it is treated depends on the causes and is different for everyone.

Causes

• Ear infections - some infections can cause the ear to swell and can make pus that blocks the ears
• Ruptured ear drums - a hole in the ear drum that makes it harder for sound to travel through the ears
• Objects blocking ear canal - some objects such as cotton tips and sometimes even ear wax can block the ears

Treatment

• Medical - some ear infections can be treated by medicine
• Surgery - sometimes surgery is needed to remove ojects that are blocking the ears
• Hearing aids - since conductive hearing loss usually makes noises sound quieter, hearing aids can help by making the sounds louder for users