Poolside chat- continues here 😁

[Glittertwins]

Did I get this done right??

SurfEars are supposed to be good. I'm sure the coach could think of ways to still communicate.

Thank you!
I will have a look.
I agree - hopefully the coach could find ways to communicate!

@Earproblems sorry I meant to write more but there was a cat stuck in a cupboard (not the first time lol).

I think surf ears are supposed to still let you hear to a certain extent but as he is a little older there shouldn't be too much communication while they are actually swimming, more between the different sets so I think if necessary he could even take them out listen to instructions then replace for the swimming.

I think if he needs to wear them for competition you will need some sort of dispensation like the kind those with glucose monitors have. I'm not sure what it's actually called or how you get it. I'm sire someone on here will know more about that though

@Earproblems DD picked up an near endless ear infection once. Once she was allowed back in the pool ear plugs were the answer. She got on best with the Happy Ears ones
https://www.happyearsearplugs.com/eu/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAudG5BhAREiwAWMlSjNcGSXNVtRyE5HJDezW3IASX2cixlf6euk_YqRKdgMtJ_CVSbDDh1RoCSMAQAvD_BwE

I hope the cat has made it safely out of the cupboard!

That interesting about competitions - definitely something to look into.

I'm sure his coach would be flexible and help him (although without his glasses he can't see much either so does rely on his hearing!). It was the possibility of giving up completely to solve the problem that took us both by surprise. He can't be the only competitive swimmer to suffer and stopping swimming simply isn't an option for him.

Thank you!

That's so good to hear that earplugs helped! I read this to him and he cracked a small smile...

I'll have a look at Happy Ears - thank you.
Imagine it could be bit of trial and error until the right one is found but great to have a starting point. There seemed so many options when I Googled!

I have a mountain of once used earplugs alright! Individual ear shape will make a difference, I personally prefer the soft silicone, play doh style ones. So keep trying as one will really help.
And microsuction. Suck away all the gunk harbouring infection.

Thank you!
Will have a look at the silicone ones too.
Microsuction is something I hadn't considered so have a read about this too!

Definitely feeling a bit more positive! Hopefully with a bit of time and trial and error, he can be back in the water pain free.

I wasn’t aware there was an issue with competing in plugs, but I’m only a J1 so don’t know everything. Nose clips are definitely okay. Tape is the only thing I’ve seen challenged.

Nothing ever came up in J2S or referee starter course either. It's not like anything aids buoyancy or muscle movement

Ah sounds like it will be fine then re the ear plugs and competition. I thought it might be worth checking before he was challenged as I know glucose monitor wearers have been challenged and that doesn't aid buoyancy or muscle movement either.

That's great that earplugs could be used in competition - thanks for clarifying this. Certainly disheartening to find something that works, then not use it in races, only to find your ears flare up a few days later!

Just need to find the ones that work now...!

I wonder if the glucose monitors were looked at as a potential for a pacing device? I don't know how they work fully but they are pretty common (thankfully) now.
The only thing with ear plugs in a race could be that hearing the starting signal could be problematic. Some aren't very loud and sometimes it can be noisy on poolside even though we do our best to stand them down if there is too much noise. Not sure on the requirement for a strobe by the block as that might be for stated exemptions only which do need to be declared.

I’ve googled this. Apparently there are some marketed as ‘fuelling gauges’ to help ensure optimal fuelling for performance. So it would be a similar reason as smart watches. Bit of a nuisance for diabetics though.

I’ve googled this. Apparently there are some marketed as ‘fuelling gauges’ to help ensure optimal fuelling for performance. So it would be a similar reason as smart watches. Bit of a nuisance for diabetics though.

That's not good for diabetics. I have seen a recent surge in these devices, I believe the papers referred to people using the Zoe ones as the "worrying well".

Zoe do a lot of health studies. They recently did one where people ate certain foods and looked how their bodies stored the carbs etc and how they turned them to sugar.

IIRC it was to do with looking at weight and diets and would imagine it was to relate to wider population. I was offered to do it (I did t!) as I was on their register from covid.

DD gets a prescription ear spray from GP - otomize - recommended by other swim parents.

It clears up infection fast and she hasn't had to use it too much since using it last year for an infection.

Yes that's the spray he has been prescribed! It seemed to clear up the infection really well but unfortunately it seemed to reappear in both ears a few weeks later. He's back on it so hopefully it gets rid of it for a bit longer.

Looking into earplugs as it seems the best way to try to prevent future infections so thank you all for the recommendations!

Are you absolutely sure the ear infection really went away? We had problems, not linked to swimming but the antibiotics just didn't completely kill off the infection so it kept coming back. A change of antibiotics did the trick and got rid of it.

This is what I am wondering. It seems almost too close to be two separate infections. He said the symptoms went and his ears were fine but I wonder if there was still some residual infection which was then took hold again when the antibiotics stopped and he returned swimming. (I am not a medical person so this could be an impossibility!)

I think I might get his ears looked at before he returns to the pool to check they are completely clear. Better to have a few more days out of the water/longer course of antibiotics rather than risk another cycle of infection.

With us, we were given the standard amoxicillin antibiotic. Within days of the course being finished, the infection and gunky ear was back and this happened 3 times.
As soon as they were given co-amoxiclav, the infection was cleared and never to return. Apparently this is quite common, amoxicillin must be cheaper since it seems to be the first thing a doctor prescribes.

DD had the recurring ear infection and microsucation was the final cure. Our GP won't give antibiotics, only the spray as swimmers ear is a type of skin irritation which antibiotics may or may not help. Speceavers offer it in most places.

Microsuction isn't something I had considered (or knew much about) so thank you for suggesting this - definitely something I am looking into. If his ear infection returns after the second dose of Otomize, I will ask about alternative antibiotics/antifungals.

It's been reassuring to read others have had 'the reoccurring ear infection' and have come out the other side - and most importantly - are still in the water! Earplugs seem the way forward to try to prevent further infections.

However, whilst he is confined to dry land, I will enjoy the alarm not going off at 04:30...(always a positive somewhere!)

I have a minor dilemma. Dd is in a competitive swim club she’s 11 and her club swims 2 hours a day 5 days with a 1 hour session on Saturdays and none on Sunday. We usually go 4 weekdays and none on weekends as have other clubs (sigh I have no life!). She has county times and is doing well overall.

anywayyy she has lots of friends in another swim team and asked me to apply for her to join that team (I know hardly the best reason!). that club have now got back to me and said she will be in the 1 hour every evening training group.

I’m not sure which one is better for training tbh. They’re both good clubs with good results. I feel like as we don’t commit to going to all sessions she’d be better off staying in current club as it’s 2 hours every day, I know very little about swim clubs and what training is good for this age other than what our current club offers. Will an hour less training everyday make her worse off?!