Protecting Mateo's Hearing
Take the reading one piece at a time. For each piece: read it once, underline the sentence that says what happens, then look up any word in the list. Tap a word to see its definition.
Piece 1 of 2
The middle ear is a small air-filled space behind the eardrum, connected to the back of the nose and throat by one tube, the Eustachian tube. That tube is normally closed but opens briefly when you swallow or yawn, to let air in and fluid drain out. A muscle near the palate, the tensor veli palatini, pulls the tube open at those moments. In a cleft palate this muscle is interrupted and out of position, so the tube does not open and drain the way it should. Picture a sink: if the drainpipe opens, water flows out; if it stays blocked, water backs up and sits in the basin.
Piece 2 of 2
From the cleft clinical literature, the chain runs: the Eustachian tube does not open well, so the middle ear cannot drain; fluid collects behind the eardrum, called otitis media with effusion, which happens repeatedly in cleft palate; the fluid muffles the eardrum and the tiny ear bones, so sound does not transmit, called conductive hearing loss; and hearing loss during the speaking-and-learning years can slow speech and language if missed. The library states this risk is high in cleft palate and that the team uses ear tubes and audiology to treat it.
Reading the Research
- Skim the title and abstract first to get the gist.
- Circle the one sentence that states the main claim.
- Box the evidence the authors give for that claim.
- Mark one sentence that confuses you, and move on.
Now put it together: In one or two sentences, say what this whole reading is telling you about Mateo. Then go back to the lesson and fill in the guided notes.