Can I Prevent Ear Infections When My Child Swims?
My daughter swims year round and has recently been getting swimmer's ear. Can these infections be prevented?
- Jovana
Swimmer's ear, or otitis externa, is a common childhood infection that often occurs in children who spend a lot of time in the water. Water can sit in their ear canal and lead to irritation and infection of the outer ear. The good news is that outer ear infections can frequently be prevented.
For starters, your daughter can use removable earplugs to help keep her ear canals dry. Or, after getting wet, she can tip her head to the side to let the water drain out. She can also use a hair dryer on a low setting, 12 inches away, to dry her ears. If her ears still aren't drying out, talk to your doctor about using alcohol ear drops at the end of a swim to help dry up the water in her ears and prevent infection.
Your daughter should not clean her ears with cotton swabs or other objects (like bobby pins), which can scratch the skin and allow bacteria or fungi to enter. Believe it or not, ear wax is good and can actually protect against swimmer’s ear.
Swimmer's ear can be treated with antibiotics. Your daughter's doctor will probably recommend that she stay out of the pool while she's recovering.
For more information, check out this article.
Otitis Externa (Swimmer's Ear)
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: March 2009
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