What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

In cases of middle ear inflammation with fluid behind the eardrum, the most common symptom is loss of hearing. If children are old enough, they may say that the ear feels plugged or full. Pain and fever, which occur with more acute ear infections, are rare.

The signs of hearing loss in children may be quite hard to detect. If a child seems to ignore the parent, sits close to the TV, or fails to develop speech at a normal age, hearing loss could be the reason. The hearing loss is usually mild, and its effect on speech is quite subtle. In these milder forms of hearing loss, low-power sounds, such as F, S, or TH, are the first to be pronounced poorly.

In middle ear inflammation with fluid behind the eardrum, different kinds of fluid can be present. The fluid can range from a clear or yellow liquid to a thick, white material that resembles rubber cement. Thicker fluid usually means more inflammation in the ear.

If the eardrum has a tear or there is a cyst in the ear, symptoms may include hearing loss and discharge from the ear, which can range from a watery consistency to a yellow-green, foul-smelling discharge. Other symptoms may develop if there are complications.