How long after grommets before your DC was advised they could swim?

[forkhandles]

The two ENT consultants at our hospital say different things, one says wait 4-6 weeks and don't get water in ears when bathing. The other say you can swim as soon as you want and not to worry about keeping ears dry in the bath. Strange there is such a difference and just wondered what others were advised.

We were told not to let ds submerge his head under water for 6 weeks and to wear earplugs for bathing etc, for at least 6 months.

I was told about 6 weeks until full submerging

Wonba, did you get special ear plugs from the hospital?

No...my dh bought some from Sainsbury..i'm sure they were adult size but we just squidged them up to fit in ds's ears!

8 weeks and get silicone earplugs from ent
but ds had dreadful ears for years with recurrent infections so I was a bit cautious not feeling like sitting up all night again with him with ear pain
hth
ps my other nickname is p pitstop from wacky races

thanks for all your advice, I really wanted to know if DD had to miss 6 weeks of paid for swimming lesson. Had never thought about ear plugs, we were told last time to put vasalined cotton wool in her ears for bath time and that was such a palaver Will ask about ear plugs when she goes in next week. Do you think it's wise to use ear plugs for all future swimming while grommets are still in?

Ds had his grommets fitted July 2006 and we still use earplugs when he goes swimming. He has had a few nasty ear infections and we just don't want to take any risks.
We were also advised to go down the cotton wool and vaseline route, and it was too much hassle and not effective.

Hope it all works out ok for you and your DD

Thank you, will definitely look in to the ear plugs. Thanks again

i used those foamy ear plugs you can buy all over the place they worked fine iirc

I think you can also get some for swimming made my Zoggs. I expect the hospital ones are v expensive

our hospital ones very cheap just a few pounds they use it as fund raiser

Forkhandles - sorry for the hijack do i know you from some where?

I'm not sure JingleyJen....I don't think I know anyone in East Anglia, what makes you think you might?

We have children with grommets at swimming club from time to time. They wear ear plugs and don't dive (something to do with sudden pressure changes).

We were told to wait two weeeks, (DD has had two lots of grommets), after the first lot she wore ear buddies and a bandit but for the second set she doesn't use anything. She has never suffered from ear infections due to swimming, she just has to avoid swimming under water and diving.