Summer is a great time for kids to splash and play in the water but ear problems can occur easily from pool, lake or ocean water. Swimmer’s ear can occur anytime—even with bath water. The symptoms of swimmer’s ear are ear pain, itchiness, redness, swelling or even a discharge of pus. Fever is not common and may signal a middle ear infection instead of swimmer’s ear.
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal and does not affect hearing. Doctors may call it otitis externa. It occurs when water—infected or not—stays in the ear canal too long and the natural waxy barrier of the ear canal is washed off. Pool water causes a lot of problems because it is alkaline compared to the usual slightly acidic natural ear canal. Bacteria and fungus can overgrow in this environment.
Prevention is always important. Putting commercially-sold swimmer’s ear drops in your child’s ear after swimming can help. Alternatively a mixture of half vinegar and hydrogen peroxide dropped or sprayed regularly in the ear canal can help prevent the infection. Vinegar puts the acid back in the ear canal. Rubbing alcohol helps to dry and sterilize the pool water but can sting young children’s ears. Shaking out the water from the ear can help as well but can be difficult for kids.
Treatment of swimmer’s ear is usually just topical antibiotic ear drops. If there is severe pain and the ear drum is still intact, topical analgesic drops also may be used. Your pediatrician will check the ear drum for infection, which would require oral antibiotics. Children with ear tubes or chronic infections may need special care or different type of antibiotic drops.
Always call your doctor if your child has pus draining from his ear and complains of ear pain. The ear drops prescribed for last summer’s infection are probably expired and not effective anymore.
Swimmer's Ear
Nov 18, 2009 | By
