Sound Solutions for Swimmer’s Ear

from Shine Newsletter, Summer 2006

Ahh…the lazy days of summer are back. Your children are out of school, enjoying days at the pool — and coming home with the ache and pain of swimmer’s ear.

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal that occurs when excessive moisture irritates and breaks down the skin in the canal. When this happens, bacteria and fungi living in contaminated water attack the ear and result in pain, itching inside the ear, watery or yellowish discharge from the ear or muffled hearing.

“Swimmer’s ear is a common summer ailment affecting children who spend a lot of time in the water,” says Kenny Chan, MD, board-certified otolaryngologist at The Children’s Hospital. “When not prevented or treated properly, it can be a very painful condition.”

To Avoid Swimmer’s Ear, Follow These Steps:

Step 1. Don’t allow children to swim in water that isn’t properly chlorinated.

Step 2. After your child has gone swimming, gently towel dry her ears and tilt her head to each side to help water escape her ear canals.

Step 3. If you can’t get the water out, ease your child’s discomfort until you can get her to the doctor by placing a warm washcloth against her ear. You may also give her acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease discomfort.

Call your child’s physician immediately if she has pain in her ear, an abnormal discharge coming from her ear or difficulty hearing in one or both ears. Your physician may recommend several methods of treatment, including antibiotic eardrops or additional cleaning of the ear canal by an otolaryngologist.