My son has grommets for 8 months now.....what can and cant he do in swimming lessons?

[mindermummy]

HI

i was told by the consulatant that he cant dive or jump into water.
But in his lesson they are doing roll overs in the water...can he do this??

and hand stands...can he do this??

also swimming under the water..can he do this?

i was never told about anything other than the jumping/diving.

Every lesson he wears a swim band over his ears and the plugs.

thanks

When my eldest DD had them fitted she didn't swim for a year - we were told that she could go after about 6mths but tbh we felt it wasn't a priority and would far rather the grommets did their job than let her go swimming. Her grommets stayed in for 5yrs....but after the year after her op we let her go providing she didn't go under water/dive/splash about too much...not easy I know but she used to suffer with the most awful ear infections that we simply didn't want to chance it. We were told she could swim so long as she put either ear plugs in or even cotton wool soaked in vaseline to act as a water barrier...

DD had them for 18months and did everything in her swimming including diving. We used putty ear plugs from www.swimstop.co.uk and a neoprene headband (putty buddies and ear band-it). Never had any problems. Also used the earplugs in the bath. Had more issues without grommets (and therefore no ear plugs) with infections from constant swimming on holiday!

What is the issue with diving/going under water with the grommets? Is it just the risk of infection or something else?

DD 2.9 has had grommets for 5 months now and on holiday she jumped in the pool without her earplugs in quite a few times. She didn't get an infection, but now I am worried she has 'damaged' them in some way.

We were told any sort of swimming was ok as long as he was wearing proper, fitted ear plugs, which the audiologist made with modelling clay special stuff.

It seems that so many people are told different things...and thats what makes it hard to know what he can and cant do. He has been swimming from 6 weeks after he had it done, and been fine with that.

Its just the other bits..handstands and roll overs im not sure about??

Im sure it cant do any damag?????!!! Just could get water in more likely??"! i dont know??.........im sure with his plugs and the ear band...its not getting wet in there.

Its so hard to know!!!!

Our consultant said soapy bath water was worse.

As I understand it (but don't quote me!) plain water (swimming) is fairly unlikely to be a major issue, but the pressure going deep can dislodge the grommets unless there are plugs to block that happening (hence the back up of a head band to stop sudden water surge in if a plug fails.) In the bath the issue is soap which if it gets through the grommet to the middle ear can cause a lot of irritation and problems with balance etc.

From what I can remember (and it is almost 10yrs ago that my DD1 had them fitted) it was the more immediate time after the grommets are fitted that you shouldn't swim/dive etc....and its more weeks than months. I would've thought so long as you've given it a few weeks (6 or so) he should be fine. If your DS is wearing ear plugs and a swim band over his ears he should be absolutely fine to take part in any part of swimming...