Does too much swimming = ear infection?

[maestramommy]

Okay, Alicia's post got me wondering. Does going swimming too often cause ear infections? I have recently discovered Dora LOVES swimming, and it's been so hot I'd like to keep taking her to our pool. Everytime we go she goes under a few times. I was wondering whether I need to suck out her ears afterwards, of if the generous supply of earwax she seems to have will protect her.

[Corie]

I was on the swim team growing up and so I was in the water
like 5 hours a day! I used to get "Swimmer's Ear" all the
time. Very painful.

Then, I started using those waxy ear plugs and I was much
better. The only negative from these ear plugs is that it
is very hard to hear anything. Kind of a weird feeling
being in the water and not hearing a sound.
But, I loved them and they did the trick!

Here is an example of what I wore. Mine were just a cloudy
white color but they make these cool colors for kids now.

http://www.speedousa.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.detail/categoryID/52a20a37-f2f6-489a-b8f6-f023140ae539/productID/bd0d6fea-5035-415e-83db-b30b0333e382/

[elliput]

It is possible to get "swimmer's ear" from too much swimming. I had it when I was twelve and OMG that is the worst pain I have ever had in my life (well, almost :-) ). I would just make sure that Dora's ears are dried throughly after swimming.

[maestramommy]

Hmmm, how do you dry the inside of the ear?

[elephantmeg]

my mom would pour alcohol in our ears after we swam to evaporate the alcohol (but we were older)

[pb&j]

Swimmer's ear is different from otitis media. Soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and squeeze a couple drops in each ear after swimming to get all the water out.

-Ry,
mom to Emma, stillborn 11/04/04
and Max, 01/05/06

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/34550.gif
http://b1.lilypie.com/aKGqm5/.png[/img] ([img)

[lizajane]

there is a commercial product available for drying ears. is it swim ear? i can't remember the name...

[JBaxter]

DS2 gets swimmers ear alot. What works for him is AS SOON as he tells me his ear is starting to hurt I clean it w/ peroxide and then before he goes to bed I put in 2 drops of garlic oil. I can say its proven anywhere but the Baxter house but it works fo us.

[maestramommy]

Hmmm! Okay, I'll give it a shot, thanks! I guess I don't have to use an aspirator as well?

[jhaud]

please don't use the aspirator. because it is so small at that end, it could cause damage to the ear or eardrum. same reason not to use q-tips. the alcohol should take care of any water that remains in dd's ear. the wax does help protect her ear canal, but wouldn't necesarily keep her from getting an outer ear infection.

your local audiologist

[elephantmeg]

to apply the alcohol we would use a small lotion bottle that had a small spout that folded in, ugh, hard to describe. The closest I could come to it was this and it's not right at all! It was a travel lotion bottle I know because it said lotion on it :)


http://www.goinginstyle.com/gis/body_individual.asp?dept%5Fid=67&pf%5Fid=1026

[mudder17]

Actually my friend's doctor advised using peroxide every once in a while to help clean it out. I do that and while it feels a bit funny (fizzy), it doesn't hurt at all and it does seem to help when my ears start to hurt. I've been known to use peroxide to clean out my ear and then add some breastmilk for the antibacterial properties.


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[mudder17]

Thanks for the tip, Ry! DH's aunt and uncle used to get swimming ear all the time but then they got that swimmer's ear drops. But when I looked at the bottle, I seem to recall that alcohol was the main ingredient (but I wasn't sure).


Eileen

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33734.gif 28 months...
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev317pp___.png
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33732.gif for Leah

[maestramommy]

Ooo, good to know. Thanks!

[maestramommy]

Would it be anything like the bottle of saline drops you use for baby's nose? Or eyedrops that you use for your self? Small rounded tip that is good for dispensing drops?

[elephantmeg]

no, but I bed they would work too! Once a bottle is empty you could wash it out and then pour alcohol in a bowel, squeeze the bottle and let it suck up the alcohol. Great idea. (as long as you re-label it!)

[Corie]

I had some over-the-counter ear drops that I used after
I swam for prevention. Worked wonders!


Check out this website. It may help!

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/48/202.cfm

[brittone2]

Ditto that. I've had swimmer's ear and it HURTS. I last had it when I was maybe 10ish? I doubt it would be much of a problem though honestly unless she's in for hours a day and spending tons of time under water.

I remember the doc advising my mom to use alcohol or white vinegar in our ears afterward to help dry them out. It seemed to work. Not sure how that would go with a little one though.