The procedure takes between ten and twenty minutes. Grommets fall out by themselves as the eardrum is constantly growing.
They may stay in for six months, or a year, or sometimes even longer in older children. You may not notice when they drop out. Glue ear tends to get better by itself, but this can take a while. We like to leave children alone for the first three months, because about half of them will get better in this time. After three months, we will see your child again and decide whether we need to put in grommets. If the glue ear is not causing any problems, we can just wait for it to settle by itself.
If it is causing problems with poor hearing, poor speech or lots of infections, it may be better to put grommets in. If we do put in grommets, the glue ear may come back when the grommet falls out. This happens to one child out of every three who has grommets put in.
We may need to put more grommets in to last until your child grows out of the problem. You may change your mind about the operation at any time, and signing a consent form does not mean that your child has to have the operation. If you would like to have a second opinion about the treatment, you can ask your specialist. He or she will not mind arranging this for you. Steroid nasal sprays may help some children if they have nasal allergy; Congestion in the nose caused by allergy may affect the normal function of the nose and ears.
Antibiotics, antihistamines and decongestants do not help this type of ear problem. Alternative treatments, such as cranial osteopathy are not helpful. Taking out the adenoids may help the glue ear get better, and your surgeon may want to do this at the same time as putting grommets in. A hearing aid can sometimes be used to treat the poor hearing and speech problems that are caused by glue ear.
This would mean that your child would not need an operation. Speak clearly, and wait for your child to answer. Make sure he or she can see your face when you speak. They are tiny plastic tubes which are inserted into a small slit in your child's ear drum in a short operation. The following diagram and photo show a grommet in place in an ear drum. The diagram uses the terms ear tubes and tympanostomy tubes to refer to grommets.
Grommets maintain normal middle ear pressure by allowing air into the middle ear, from the outside. This reduces the risk of fluid building up in that space. If your child does get an ear infection with grommets in place, pus can flow out through the grommet.
Your doctor can prescribe ear drops rather than antibiotics by mouth. Studies show that these ear drops are more effective than antibiotics by mouth in treating discharging ears. Grommets are a temporary measure and will 'buy time' until your child's eustachian tubes mature to work naturally.
The eustachian tubes connect the middle ear the space behind the ear drum of each ear to the back of the nose. Your child's doctor may recommend grommets for glue ear that won't clear up or for frequent ear infections. They are more likely to recommend grommets if your child has had:. Parents often report a better quality of life for their children after grommet insertion with better sleeping and overall behaviour. When your child has recovered and is wide awake, they are usually allowed to go home.
This is often an hour or so after the operation. There is not usually any pain in the ears after grommet insertion. Although your child may be a little unsettled at first, they are usually back to normal after a few hours.
They can usually return to school the following day. Many parents notice an immediate improvement in their child's hearing. Travelling home with hands over ears because of the 'loud' noises is not uncommon. Some children will have discharge from their ears after grommets have been inserted. This is not usually painful and is usually treated with ear drops. See your family doctor if this happens.
If your child's ear discharge continues, your family doctor may send your child to an ear nurse specialist or ENT specialist. Doctors vary in their recommendations about ear protection for your child in water when swimming, shampooing, showering and bathing.
Some children get ear infections and discharge as a result. Ask your surgeon about this at the time of the operation. You can also discuss this with your family doctor or ear nurse. Some children continue to have ear problems glue ear or repeated ear infections once the grommets come out.
They may need grommets again. Sometimes, your ENT surgeon may also recommend removal of your child's adenoids. There is some evidence that removing the adenoids is helpful in those children who need more than one set of grommets. The adenoids sit at the end of the eustachian tubes at the back of the nose and can contribute to ear infections.
A grommet may occasionally block. If this happens, your child may need ear drops to help clear it. A small number of children may have continuous or frequent episodes of discharge from their ears. All information contained in this sheet has been supplied by qualified professionals as a guideline for care only.
Research and education. Back to fact sheets. Insertion of grommets fact sheet. Insertion of grommets. The operation During the operation, a surgeon will make a small cut in the eardrum and the fluid in the middle ear will be sucked out. After the operation If the ear is particularly inflamed, you may notice bleeding from the ear on the day of the operation or for some fluid discharge to continue for a day after the operation. Pain relief Your child may experience a mild earache in the first few weeks after the operation.
Aspirin must NOT to be given to your child. Food and drink Aneasthetic can sometimes leave a child feeling nauseous and with no appetite. Complications The most common complication is infection, which can be signified by a discharge from the ear. Post-operative check-up Your child will have a post-operative check-up six to eight weeks after the operation.
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