Grommets

[M00ninthesea]

My LG had grommets fitted last week having suffered with glue ear for years.
We were told not to get the ears wet for 2 weeks & as such just thought we would make do in no hair washing for that time (yuk yuk!!). After the 2 weeks we didn't need to take any extra care & it didn't matter getting the ears wet.

A friend chikd just had them done & told conflicting advice......never get the ears wet, always use plug of some description either swimming or bath time etc....

We are now both confused as the Internet is also varying the advice!

Anyone who knows?? Or advice?

Hi OP, you've been given slightly odd advice. Don't worry! Our DD has had grommets (and also wears hearing aids). We've had lots of experience of this. Get bathing and hair washing as soon as you like! Simply put cotton wool or ear plugs in her ears. The water should not be running into her ears for as long as she has grommets in. She has a minuscule tube in her ear drum, the risk is if bath water or swimming pool water gets through the tube to inside her ear, there is a chance of infection, and needing drops. We had a few of those. Not a nightmare, but not pleasant and best avoided.

Call up your local children's audiology department at hospital and ask them if they can do custom moulds to put in when she goes in the bath or swimming. You may need to pay privately. Or Google for grommet ear plugs, ear moulds etc - sure you will find lots of options (we never needed to seek this out because we get moulds made along with hearing aid moulds so already had this contact) They really should offer this service to all kids having grommets.

Anyway, no ears underwater in the bath or pool and she'll be fine.

Watch out for all the 'glue' fluid (not wax) streaming out of her ears now. It will be sticky and a bit messy but means the grommets are doing their job and this is able to flow out, rather than flow internally away.

As the ear drum heals the grommets work their way out and in theory fall out (rarely in, but can do). You may see them come out one day, or may never know until a check up when they tell you it's gone and the ear drum healed again. Maybe a month or two, maybe a year.

I recommend you tube for some grommet videos so you know what it looks like just to help understand, we found it really helpful.

Good luck!