in not letting my dd with a smelly ear go swimming?

[pearlsbeforeswine]

She had an ear infection last weekend, went to the doctor's who gave her some medicine and the pain went away. She went back to school tuesday and was sent home as she as in pain. She had swimming with the school but I did not let her go.

She wants to go swimming tomorrow and sunday, she is in a real panic about it. She is not a great swimmer whereas in every other area she is the golden child who is top of the class at everything. She therefore wanted to spend the whole weekend practising.

So she wants to go tomorrow and Sunday to the local pool, I have said not because I am worried that although the pain has gone her ear has started to smell. I also dont think it will do her nay harm to experience struggling at something - how much difference is one weekend going to make anyway. I also think she should not swim with the school in Tuesday.

Do thinks I am being mean and she should go, dd went to bed in tears at the thought of not getting to practice.

Yes have said to dp he will need to take her back on Monday. She has ejected lots of wax this week.

I had major problems with my ears as a child. If the ear hurts (she might deny this) or she rubs it or it's red anywhere, then don't let her swim - you'd be risking recurrence of the infection. Smelly - well I'd be careful too.I agree with StewieGriffinsMom and would take her back to a GP if it continues.

I had such scarred ears after so many infections that one burst in the swimming pool when I was 11 and that hurt a lot - I nearly fainted (which would have been bad news in the pool) and had to have surgery to repair it or lose my hearing in that ear; I'm not saying that will happen to her but it's worth doing your best to avoid it.

Might sound daft but can't you put an ear plug in the affected ear? That would keep the water out. There are some good plugs available these days.

I have suspected that she was lying about her ear not hurting as she is not the kind of child to enjoy being off school or kept in.

I may phone NHS direct in the morning and see what they say.

But the plug would only be in there for a short time, half an hour would not make too much difference. Make it clear to dd that it is a short sharp lesson to practise and then out of the pool as she has an ear infection. (Quality not quantity)

Thanks I will check tomorrow.

I wouldn't send her, risk of it getting worse. But also isnt it a bit yuk for everyone else in the pool? I know they all pee in there of course but even so.....

It is not leaking anymore, have checked her throughout the day. But I suppose if it is smelling it could leak in the pool. Good point.

If you don't want her to go, then the "public health" aspect could be a way of selling that to her, rather than the poorly ear.

I will tell her that she will get wee in her ear which wil make it worse.

When DS swallows pool water I always say "ooh yum, you just drank other people's wee!". He generally manages to keep his mouth shut when swimming (unlike any other time apart from when he's asleep).

no you're being very sensible. swimming and ear infections do not mix at all well.
I vaguely remember childhood warnings about burst eardrums if swimming and ear infections were combined - but that might have been if you were going underwater. Or it might have been if water got in the ear.

Don't do it - she'll be ok, I'm sure in the end she'd rather be better quicker than run the risk of having the infection longer or getting something worse.

Okay then how about ear plug and a swimming cap which is a tight fit?
I'm a dad and not giving up!!

It must be a male thing, dp wants her to go I really dont want her to.

Could you ring NHS direct and ask them?

YANBU - I wouldn't let her go until you're sure it's better.

I had lots of ear problems as a child and was told to avoid getting water in my ear at all times - even when there was no obvious infection. My mum used to make me ear plugs from cotton wool coated in vaseline (sounds weird but the vaseline makes the cotton wool water repellent & I have tiny ears so couldnt use normal earplugs!)

Presumably the eardrum is perforated if it is leaking?

DS has had lots of infections. His doctor always said he could still go as long as the eardrum wasn't perforated. Every time he had a perforated ear drum I always checked with the doctor whether he could go swimming or not as sometimes it was only mild and the doctor said he could, but other times it was too bad to let him go.

She is 7, it may sound harsh but I am not worried about her being upset about not being good at swimming, it will do her good to not be the best at somethind.

The doctor did not mention a perforated ear drum, although dp took her not me. Just said she had had a bad cold and everything was blocked up.

Ear plugs in infected ears can HURT and make things worse. (Cotton wool doesn't hurt in my experience). Also, if you ever do use an ear plug in an infected ear, throw it away or sterilise it after use and whatever you do don't contaminate the good ear with it (also try to avoid touching the bad ear then the good ear).

small had gone, phoned nhs direct and she said she could go but would not advise swimming under water for a prolonged length of time. Also checked with my sister who is a nurse and the pool when we went in.