to allow my DS to splash in paddling pool with perforated ear?

[happyclapper]

DS aged 5 has had a perforated ear drum for 10 weeks. Has appointment at ENT department next week. GP checked it Monday and the hole is now tiny and there is no infection.
Poor lamb is desperate to join his brother in paddling pool. I have put a silicone plug in and warned him to try and not get it wet!!!
Also we are due to go on holiday in 2 weeks to a hotel with lots of pools which I am very anxious about.
I would be grateful for the opinion of anyone who has been in this position.

My nephew has had all kinds of ear problems including a perforated drum a couple of times...my sister used to seal his ear with cotton wool and vaseline which she said worked better than a plug...but ask your GP first.

yanbu...but yabu too...I understand WHY you want him to be able to splash around but you need to keep him safe aswell.

My nephew has recvered now but at one point he had an infection which got into the tiny bones deep within his skull....she gave him manuka honey which really helped.

I would. Ds has had perforated ears many times, and I wouldn't blink at him going in a paddling pool. I'd be dodgy about him going swimming though, even with ear plugs.

My 9 year old daughter is now profoundly deaf in one ear due to ear infection caused by dirty water bacteria. Her hearing will never recover and her hearing loss is so total and complete, even a hearing aid is pointless because there is nothing left in her ear to pick up the transmissions from an aid.

Do NOT fuck about with this. 10 weeks is too long for an ear infection.

If the child MUST be in water, use Blu-tack over the ear plug to form an extra seal and get a neoprene band to go around all of it to keep it all in place.

I assume you have bathed him in the last 10 weeks? THe paddling pool is less of a problem (I was told when we were on the grommet train) as the soap/shampoo in the bathwater lowers surface tension and allows the water into the middle war easier.

Hi, I have a perforated ear drum. Im due to go on hols and busting to go on the flumes as I havent in 20 years because of my bastard ear drum. My perforation is quite severe though surgery cant fix this one.

However, good news you can get a referral to audiology, they will take a print of the ear and mold some WATER TIGHT ear plugs. Free of charge! Would normally cost a tonne going private.

Whoop for me! And your son if you get them.

Just reas the above message. I really, really would advise putting blue tack anywhere near a childs ear.

Would not advise!

The paddling pool probably won't be too much of a problem provided you plug his ears. Be a bit careful about swimming pools though. ds1 perforated his ear drum at 3. Every summer holiday until he was about 13 he suffered with his ears and I learnt the words for "he has very bad ear ache" in at least 3 foreign languages. The problem occurring because he kept on diving into lakes and pools assuming that each year he'd get away with it.

DD's eardrum burst 18 times in the space of a couple of years when she was younger.

As long as you have a good ear plug he will be fine to go in the paddling pool, they are also good for hair washing too.

For holiday I would also get the headband type ear protector that you can get with some ear plugs. Are you going abroad? I would be wary of the plane if his ear drum was still perforated?

Try putty buddies and ear bandits, you can pick them up cheap on ebay. My daughter has grommets and that's the ones recommended by the ENT x

Blu tack near a kid's ear is NOT a good idea.

If he has an ear plug in and you're watching closely to make sure he doesn't submerge his head, or get too much water near his lug then I don't think YABU. I had a perforated ear drum and cotton wool covered in vaseline did the trick when I was in the shower.

Blu-tack was recommended as a stand-in ear seal by ENT consultant. Blu-tack over a plug (as suggested in my first post on this thread) forms a brilliant seal for keeping water out.

Thank-you all for your replies ,they have been really helpful.
I apologise for going awol but had to unexpectedly go out last night.
ATM DS is free of infection so I think I will use your tips on ear plugging and wait and see what the ent consultant says next week about the pool on holiday.
Thanks again. X