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Children's health

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Original poster

What to expect after grommets please

15 replies

whizzylala · 14/02/2013 09:58

My DS 7 is finally getting his grommets in a few weeks. Can anyone please give me some idea of what to expect post op. pain, back to school next day? When can he swim again etc? I'm so excited about not having to shout and repeat everything twice or thrice!!!

OP posts:

MoreBeta · 14/02/2013 10:03

He will have an instant improvement in hearing and ear pain. Literally instant. DS2 had it done just before he started in Reception. After a few hours in recovery ward he went home and that was that.

MoreBeta · 14/02/2013 10:05

Swimming we found he did need a special earplug made to stop water getting in. Unfortunately his grommet in one ear never fell out so water passes through teh hole into his inner ear hence he still wears the earplug aged 12.

If your DS gets ear pain after the operation when swimming (especially diving or underwater) go back to the consultant and get a moulded earplug.

Dizzyizzy17 · 14/02/2013 10:12

Make sure that for the time he has grommets that he doesn't get any ear drops - your own doc will know this but my daughter got earache on holiday and the doc gave drops and she nearly hit the roof! What's a DS (other than a gaming machine) it's my first time here

Original poster

whizzylala · 14/02/2013 10:32

DS or DD is darling/ dearest son or daughter ! DH/DP HUbby / Partner......
Do you think he can go to school next day? Need to sort out childcare if not. He loves swimming, that is going to be a pain with the earplugs, oh well.

OP posts:

jigglebum · 14/02/2013 10:43

Hi DS had grommets last year. Home within a few hours. next day off school but back the one after. Re swimming he had 5 week ish of no swimming and then he now uses ear putty and a head band (www.swimstop.co.uk) We also use cotton wool and vaseline for hair washing. Good luck

DeWe · 14/02/2013 11:07

Ds has had grommets twice.

First time wasn't easy. (20 months) He had tail end of an infection and his temperature shot up while in hospital so he needed antibiotics straight away. He then caught a sickness bug (probably, although there was a query whether it was allergy to the GA, but the timing was such that it was very unlikely) and was hospitalised for dehydration. So I'm not sure how quickly he got over the grommets op. But he didn't have another ear infection (having had them continuously) until the grommets came out. His speech doubled (and it wasn't bad before) in a month.

Second time (3.6yo) was much better. He said his ears hurt when he came round after the GA, and I think it was about 24-48 hours before he said it was completely pain free, but he was immediately hearing better, commenting on noises he hadn't heard before. He was bouncing round the children's playroom within an hour of his operation-with a friend he'd made who was on constant oxygen and dragging the pack round with them.

Agree with the no ear drops, we use cotton wool for washing hair, and use a well fitting swimming hat for swimming, because he hates ear plugs as he then can't hear properly. But he doesn't swim much.
Had a very sweet comment from him when he was about 2yo. I'd gone upstairs to wash my hair, and he came into the bathroom and said "mummy, you've forgotten to put clouds in your ears". Very sweet.

hellsbells99 · 14/02/2013 16:34

DD had grommets twice and then T-tubes. The change in her after having the grommets was amazing, although initially everything seemed very loud. She went back to school the next day. She couldn't swim initially but then was fitted with specially moulded ear plugs. Unfortuately the grommets fell out after approx a year and the glue ear came back. She is now 15 and her hearing is now okay although a little down. She does tend to suffer still when she has a cold etc.

FairyJen · 14/02/2013 16:39

I've had grommets every six months since I was 5 now 26!

The biggest issue for him my be noise tbh honest I really struggled and still do with the world seeming too loud and it's very disconcerting. Swimming should be ok if you protect the ear my mum always use to use cotton wool with as alone coating and then a swimming cap.

There shouldn't be any pain after the op but he may be a bit drowsy that first night from operation. If you have any questions just ask I could probably perform my own ops by now!

FairyJen · 14/02/2013 16:41

I would ask the surgeon tho how many operations you think he may new in the future. My right ear drum is now like concrete due to the amount of scar tissue which has left me deaf in this ear however it has taken a lot of infections and operations to get it in this state!

FairyJen · 14/02/2013 16:42

*vasaline on cotton wool that should read to form a water tight seal

Original poster

whizzylala · 14/02/2013 19:42

Thanks all. I thought he'd probably be back to normal quickly but wanted to check I wasn't being harsh thinking he might be at school the next day.
I'm hoping he'll only need them once, he's never actually had any earache or infections but is so deaf with the glue. I am sure it must be affecting his schooling and behaviour. Thanks for all the helpful advice.
Whizzylala

OP posts:

mumnosbest · 04/03/2013 00:08

really useful thanks. we're debating pros and cons of grommets for ds8 too. he's going back to ent and need a decision soon.ear infections are a nightmare but so is the thought of him being put to sleep.

KatieMiddleton · 04/03/2013 00:12

Best thing I ever did for ds. He was nearly 3 and completely better a matter of hours after the op. He went from a vocabulary of about 6 words to full sentences in 3 weeks.

If he had it again or dd had it I wouldn't hesitate to give them the op.

GraceK · 04/03/2013 00:33

Glue ear runs on both sides of my kids family & loads of us have had grommets. DD2 the latest at 2.4 mths - instant improvement in speech & temperament (as was no longer exhausted trying to hear & could cOmnunicate better within weeks - tantrums largely disappeared.)

Re ear drops - if you get smelly discharge for more than a week (from an infection flowing outwards (though no apparent pain as no pressure) then you can be perscribed some antibiotic eye drops to clear it up. Works wonders for DD2.

Were told only needed ear plugs for swimming if going underwater. Do need to keep shampoo out of ears though as it breaks the surface tension of the water & so can get through the grommets.

For those worried by anesthetic, NICE also say you should be offered temporary hearing aids (til they out grow the glue year - usually around age 6-8). We went for grommets as knew from family history that they often work & DD won't even wear hair slides so no chance with hearing aids.

bellabelly · 04/03/2013 00:45

Cheap ear plugs (from chemists) for a while after for baths to stop water getting in during hair-washing. We also bought these earbands for paddling pool/swimming to use for a while aterwards. Don't know if they were actually needed but gave us peace of mind.

After the op, our boy was back at nursery the next day, the difference in his hearing was immediate. His speech improved hugely (with speech and language therapy) and i can honestly say that it was the best thing we could possibly have done for him. He complained for a couple of days about the world being "too loud" but soon adjusted. Now, almost 2 years on, he is speaking normally, barely remembers his operation, whereas before he was in his own little world, speech was very unclear and he didn't really join in with family conversations. Now he won't shut up!

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