The best ear plugs for a child with "swimmers ear"?

jap200

My poor 7 year old son has had repeated bouts of swimmer ear (i.e. middle ear or outer ear infections), including a perforated ear drum last month. He is waiting for an ENT consultation and we have been told by our GP not to let him get water in his ears at all.

He loves swimming and has lessons every week, so we have had to look for ear plugs for him, but are struggling to find any that actually do the job.

Ear Bandz were recommended to us - consisting of a neoprene band that goes around the head to help hold in the ear plugs. The band seems comfortable for him, but they are supposed to be used with silicone ear plugs (like a piece of play dough) that you mould to shape. The do seem to keep the water out, but if left in for any length of time, they get really well stuck to his ears and are very difficult to remove- particularly when they get pushed down the ear cannal. This was a particular problem when we were on holiday as the heat seemed to melt the silicone and make a real mess.

We have also tried:

• foam plugs - but they are difficult to get in and seem to pop out again.
• Soft Plastic plugs from Boots - they look like the earplane plugs - but they don't keep the water out.

Can anyone give any other advice or recommend any other type of ear plugs please?

Bun

Boots used to do some waxy ones, not sure if they still do, or if these are the ones you are using already. My ds had this due to immature ear canals (apparently) and he's outgrown it now. The doctor gave him an ear spray to use which flushes out the water so that it doesn't pool and get infected. Presumably this isn't suitable for your son?

djtonyb

I use the adult version of these http://www.zoggs.uk.com/content/product/62 and they seem to stay in and keep the water out.

Recommended them by a friend as I had 8 weeks/ 5 lots of antib's and 2 trips to hospital for medical intervention with Swimmers ear.

pusscat

I used to scuba dive and got some infections from getting water trapped in my ear - fellow divers recommended this http://shop.sussexscuba.co.uk/acatalog/info_MS110.html

it works a treat, you just put a drop or two in your ears when you come out and the water all "evaporates"

I don't know if it is suitable in your case, but even using it in addition to ear plugs would seem to be a good idea.

Hope it is of some use

Puss

xx

jap200

djtonyb wrote: »

I use the adult version of these http://www.zoggs.uk.com/content/product/62 and they seem to stay in and keep the water out.

Recommended them by a friend as I had 8 weeks/ 5 lots of antib's and 2 trips to hospital for medical intervention with Swimmers ear.

Now these do look good - they look totally different from the ones we have tried so far, so I think I will definitely give them a go.

Thanks for the suggestion.

The waxy ones described by 'Bun' sound like the silicone ones that we have been having problems with.

I don't think the ear sprays would be suitable as he is not supposed to be getting water in his ears for now.