Mississauga, Ontario 
Defeating and Preventing Swimmer’s Ear: A How-To Guide
Swimmer’s ear is a common occurrence for those who love being in the water, and it is an unfortunate experience for those who suffer through it. No one wants to see their child suffering from pain, so it’s important to be proactive about it.
Follow these 5 important tips for preventing swimmer’s ear and keeping your children safe from the pain of the infection.
1. Keep Your Child’s Ears Dry
According to WebMD, swimmer’s ear occurs when water is trapped in your child’s ear canal when they come out of the water. This provides the perfect environment for bacteria to grow, causing the painful infection.
Naturally, then, the most important tactic in preventing swimmer’s ear is to dry your children’s ears as soon as they come out of the water. There are a few ways you can do this. Have them tip their head from side to side, allowing the water to pour out, or you could carefully apply a hair dryer to their ear. However, make sure the dryer isn’t too close.
2. Look Into Some Ear Drops
You can purchase ear drops that will help prevent swimmer’s ear, but make sure that you are sure that there isn’t already an infection in the first place. If you consider using ear drops, talk to your doctor first to make sure that your child’s ears are a safe environment to use the drops in, and that they do not have any premedicated issues that could be affected.
3. Give Them Protective Gear to Wear
Sometimes wearing a swim cap or ear plugs can help prevent water from getting in your child’s ears. They may complain about wearing one, but it will give you more peace of mind that they are safe and sound.
At British Swim School, we always make sure that proper protocol is followed when our students are done their lessons. We value all of our children, and helping parents understand water safety is a number one priority, and often this means making sure the right equipment is used.
4. Don’t Let Them Put Items in Their Ears
Letting your children put common items in their ears can cause serious internal damage, which is another contributing factor that causes swimmer’s ear. If there are scratches or injuries within the ear, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria. For example, household items such as pens and pencils and Q-tips are dangerous if they end up in that ear canal.
5. Keep up With Ear Hygiene
Teach your children to clean out their ears at an early age, in order to emphasize the importance of keeping up with their ear hygiene. The more you let wax build up in their ears, the more you are fostering the perfect environment for bacteria to grow and cause swimmer’s ear or other infections.
Don’t Let Swimmer’s Ear Stop Your Child From Learning to Swim
Preventing swimmer’s ear shouldn’t be something that deters you from putting your children in swimming lessons. In fact, the more they learn to swim, the more they will be able to be prepared for the world ahead of them.
We offer plenty of swim classes for children of all ages that fit with any schedule, so pick one that works for you and sign up today!
References
WebMD. (n.d.) How can I prevent swimmer’s ear? WebMD. Retrieved from
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/ear-infection/understanding-swimmer-ear-prevention#1.
