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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To need experiences of grommets - is it always so disgusting??

20 replies

CountryMummy1 · 15/04/2015 19:23

My 3YO has just had grommets and adenoidtonsilectomy. It has been a fabulous, life changing operation for her after years of health problems.

However, 3 weeks in we are struggling with the grommets. We have managed 1 hair wash in 3 weeks as it was so traumatic! The silicone ear plugs come out under the ear band, the putty ones cause screams for hours as they stick to her hair. We haven't dared go back to swimming lessons yet.

One ear is also continually discharging wax like runny gunk. I've had it checked and Dr said it wasn't infected as it didn't smell and no temp. There is yellow all over her pillow in the morning, her hair by her ear is always stuck with it, she's always picking it off which makes me cringe. I console myself that it's better out than in but we're in such a mess with it.

Does it get better? Is this normal?

OP posts:

steff13 · 15/04/2015 19:28

The discharge is normal, it can go on for a while. My daughter is 4 and has had four sets of tubes. :(

With the ear plugs, our ENT said that unless you are going to be in dirty/brackish water, they aren't REALLY necessary, especially if she wasn't going underwater. We still used them, but if she won't tolerate them, maybe try to just wash her hair carefully. Is she old enough to cover her ears with her hands when you wash her hair?

steff13 · 15/04/2015 19:29

Or, what about a cotton ball with some vaseline on it, would she tolerate that? I think that's what we did with my daughter's first set, when she was 5 months old.

Brandysnapper · 15/04/2015 19:32

I don't remember discharge (personal experienced rather than dcs) but I do remember my mum putting cotton wool balls in my ears to wash my hair - no idea if that helped or not! I don't like getting water in my ears even today and manage daily hair washing without it ever happening. Just goes in if I stick my head down in the bath. I don't think much water gets in at all but I would not take my word on this.

DustyBedhead · 15/04/2015 19:33

Grommets are tiny so it could well take time to drain and dry out. As for the hair washing and bath/shower etc I always popped a bit of cooton wool in the ears and smeared Vaseline over the top that's the advice I was given and it worked well. Never attempted swimming whilst the grommets were in due to advice given to me at the time, it does get better honest and it is life changing for them.

LadyStark · 15/04/2015 19:35

We have earplugs moulded to DD's ears, they're a doddle to put in and comfortable to wear. Maybe ask your ENT if they could recommend someone?

PrettyPenguin · 15/04/2015 19:53

I don't remember any discharge apart from the first day or so when my DD had them when she was 3. I can't remember what we did in terms of ear plugs etc as she didn't go swimming very often then. She's 7 now and has just had her pre-op for her second set of grommets. Can't wait for them - she's currently in the grip of her 5th double ear infection (and ear drum perforations) since Christmas! She does have swimming lessons now but we use ear band ear plugs (coloured soft putty) with the head band on top. We don't have any problems getting them out afterwards as they usually come out in one piece if I give them a bit of a circular wiggle beforehand.

My son has just had grommets fitted (4 weeks ago) and hasn't had any discharge at all. He doesn't have swimming lessons yet but wore the putty ear plugs and neoprene head band over Easter when we were on holiday. He just wears the ear plugs for the bath/shower.

I wonder whether your daughter has got an ear infection, and that's why it's still leaking fluid? She will presumably have her post-op check up soon so it's worth mentioning then.

In terms of hair washing, do you have a shower attachment on your bath taps? It might be worth washing her hair over the bath, like you'd have it done at the hairdressers. Pop some cotton wool in her ears as a precaution, and then have her lean back over the bath and hold the shower head really close to her head so that you can control exactly where the water flows. She'll probably need to sit on a small chair or stool.

ShouldIworryornothelp · 15/04/2015 20:04

Dont bother with the plugs unless going swimming. Just don't let her lay back in the bath and get her ears full of water. Try using a jug/blocking forehead with hand method of hairwashing.

Gunk is normal to begin with, it's the fluid that would otherwise cause the infection. Over time it will dry up

Original poster

CountryMummy1 · 15/04/2015 20:27

Thanks for all those tips. I'm hoping gunk is normal and it doesn't seem like an infection at all. I will try the cotton wool thing but I could really do with some made to measure ear plugs I think

OP posts:

soapboxqueen · 15/04/2015 20:49

ds didn't have any ear gunk that I recall. Our consultant just said to not let him submerge his head in water, no mention of ear plugs at all. So hair washing etc was just a jug of water over the head

chickenfuckingpox · 15/04/2015 20:57

does she have long hair? my son has long ish hair and i just rub a flannel over it and it doesn't look greasy or anything

FingerBlastingFun · 15/04/2015 21:11

My 2 year old had the same op for all 3 in October. It was a horrible time but so worth it.

After the operation he was getting the gunk every few weeks but from one ear only and it was always all over his pillow.

We had it checked each time and it was fine with no infection apart from the last time about 4 weeks ago when it just wouldn't stop and he was starting to get sores on the outside of his ear. The doc gave us some drops and it dried up within 48 hours.

We paid £30 at the hospital to have ear plugs made for him but he won't wear them or any other ive tried or cotton wool. We try and get him to hold his hands over his ears when we rinse his hair in the bath.

We haven't taken him swimming yet but I was planning on ordering one of the ear bands but I didn't know they had to be used with plugs as well.
Im so glad we had it done as it's made such a difference

Original poster

CountryMummy1 · 15/04/2015 21:59

Oh Finger, it was so scary wasn't it but absolutely lovely to see them breathing easy and being well

OP posts:

FingerBlastingFun · 16/04/2015 18:22

I know, I was terrified but he's so much better now

I spoke to a friend today and she said her 4 year old DD had the discharge for about 5 months after her op so it's definitely quite common.
I hope it stops soon for your DD

DeeWe · 16/04/2015 18:51

Ds has always used cotton wool in his ears for hair washing. We had a very cute moment when he was about 2yo and he wandered into the bathroom as I was about to wash my hair and he shouted "STOP! Mummy, you've forgotten to put clouds in your ears!"

He has for swimming specially moulded ones that ENT gave him (on NHS), he wears them with a swimming hat over his ears and they seem to be fine. He didn't like the non-fitted ones either.

SnottySundays · 16/04/2015 18:54

Discharge you are describing is infection. She needs ear drops NOT oral antibiotics - ear drops work much better with grommets in. Sofradex or ciprofloxacin drops will do the trick.
(Email or phone her consultant, he will say the same thing!)

Dandelionsmith · 16/04/2015 22:37

We also used the cotton wool and Vaseline. DS wasn't very keen so we played games where DH and I also put the cotton wool in our ears while he had his bath, sometimes even in his teddy's ear too. We kept hair washing to a minimum as well and never went swimming but that was easier as he was only 22 months and had never been so he didn't miss it. We only started when the grommets fell out. The consultant also told us that detergent in water made it more likely to get into the ear so we bought a non detergent bubble bath.
DS never had discharge. If you're worried could you ask to get your follow up appointment brought forward?

Roomba · 16/04/2015 23:59

I had grommets and don't recall having lots of discharge. I used to use the cotton wool/vaseline that other posters have recommended when washing my hair. I was told to avoid swimming though (this was mid 80s) so couldn't go for about two years !

ReallyTired · 17/04/2015 01:41

It sounds like an infection. Personally I would not arrange swimming lessons for a child with grommets and I would use ear plugs for hair washing. The benefits of swimming do not justify the risks. What is more important your child's ablity to hear or your child learning to swim?

My son had 9 months of hell after his grommets op. He had an infection that was anti biotic resistant. This resulted in 9 months of gunk and pain. He is very lucky only to have damage to his hearing in one ear.

blondieminx · 17/04/2015 02:28

DD had grommets in & adenoids out last November.

We were sent home with Sofradex drops to give for a week (they smell of hyacinths!) but DD still developed a gunky left ear which cleared with Amoxycillin syrup and some other drops (can't remember what they were called now, sorry). Gunk indicates an infection (especially if it's yellowy!) please ring the ward you were seen on and get them to check with the consultant.

We were told to stay off swimming lessons for 4 weeks, but that then took us up to Christmas so she ended up having 6 weeks off. I took DD's op confirmation letter in and the pool credited our account.

One of the audiology technicians from the ENT team works privately on Saturday mornings from home doing custom fitted swim plugs which we also use in the bath, £20 a time and they usually last for 6m before they are outgrown!

beansdad123 · 17/04/2015 20:52

I'm an ENT surgeon - agree with the last poster. Prolonged discharge from an ear 3 weeks after grommet insertion wouldn't be normal - it's likely that your DC has picked up an infection. It's quite common and nothing serious.

She needs a course of drops for 1-2 weeks (ciprofloxacin drops are the best for this). You could get them from your GP or via the hospital, whichever is easiest. Oral antibiotics don't really help with grommet-related infections. Also, you wouldn't expect a child to have a fever, because the grommet allows the infection to drain freely (onto their pillow...). Best of luck

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