Custom made ear plugs for reoccurring ear infections

[theworldhasgoneinsane]

Hi

Looking for some advice please.
My step daughter swims 6 days a week as she's part of a club but gets very frequent ear infections
I've read online about custom made ear plugs being helpful. Can anyone recommend anywhere that does these and if they're helpful please? Does anyone have experience with this?

Thank you in advance

[theworldhasgoneinsane]

Bumping. Anyone please?

[Mxflamingnoravera]

I also get ear infections and swim. I've tried silicone plugs, was plugs and currently I am using the attached ones plus a swim cap designed to go over earplugs (it's extra long and has ear shaped elements) these seem to keep my ears dry.

What I've discovered is that the ear I get most infections in is an odd shape and getting plugs to fit is not easy. However the ones I'm using now with the cap seem to work.

I have a rare condition where there is exposed bone in my ear canal. My surgeon said it's important to use plugs when showering and also spraying or using any kind of hair product as these could trigger allergic reactions.

I'd be interested in custom made plugs too but suspect they would be v expensive and if your daughter is anything like me, would get lost.

[theworldhasgoneinsane]

Thank you @Mxflamingnoravera for your reply.
The cap over the ears is a good idea, although she swims for a club and they use their own ones with the club logo on so not sure this would be possible, we will ask though.
There's a place a couple of hours from us that do them, and looks like including the appointment, scans, impressions etc it would be about £200 in total. Expensive but we'd be willing to pay it if they work

[Squirrelsonthescaffolding]

Where I live children can get them free on NHS if they are referred as needing them, and adults pay £35. So try your GP, see if she can be referred directly to Audiology, or if she needs to go via ENT. If she’s getting regular ear infex might be good to see them anyway. If she’s already under ENT, perhaps less likely for swimmer’s ear than glue ear, you could try asking for referral from them to Audiology for custom swim plugs.

Also depending on age her ears will grow (this slows down after infancy) so they will likely need redoing. If she gets a choice of colours good to have something not blue (hard to find if lost in a pool) and also good to have different colours so she knows which one goes in which ear. Also, ear bandit is a product that can help keep ear plugs in.

[Mxflamingnoravera]

Yes, I've used ear bandit with the mouldable silicone and it works. I prefer the swim cap and the clip in plugs I'm using now. My ears really do stay dry with this combination.

[Mxflamingnoravera]

Surely she could put the club cap over her ear cap? Olympic swimmers wear two caps don't they?

[theworldhasgoneinsane]

Thanks @Squirrelsonthescaffolding I actually spoke to my husband earlier about this and said we need to try and get her referred to ENT/audiology. Apparently with her current infection the GP took a swab and have now given her drops which are for the kind of infection she has. I will suggest he pushes for a referral though. Hard when it's my SD though and not my daughter, I only have so much say in it!

@Mxflamingnoravera such a good idea about putting her swim cap over the other one, hadn't thought of that! How stupid of me!