Dear Parents,
This time we are going to tell you something about the ear
infection which is caused mainly due to swimming. This is important as our
school children are in regular swimming classes .
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal. Let's find
out more about this painful type of ear infection, which often affects
swimmers.
Swimmer's ear — also called otitis externa is different from
a regular ear infection. Usually, when people say a kid has an ear infection,
they mean otitis media an infection of the middle ear. This sometimes happens
when a kid gets a cold.
But swimmer's ear happens when bacteria grow in the ear
canal, which is a passageway to the eardrum. In that canal, you'll find
delicate skin that's protected by a thin coating of earwax. Most of the time,
water can run in and out of the ear canal without causing a problem. For
instance, you don't usually get swimmer's ear from taking baths or showers.
Bacteria get a chance to grow when water stays in the ear
canal and it washes away the protective coating of earwax. A lot of swimming
can wash away that wax protection and lead to these wet conditions in the ear
canal. Bacteria grow and the ear canal gets red and swollen. Sometimes kids can
get an infection in the ear canal even if they haven't been swimming. A scratch
or other irritation in the ear canal can also lead to swimmer's ear.
SIGN /SYMPTOMS:
• Swimmer's
ear may start with some itching, but try not to scratch because this can worsen
the infection.
• Ear pain
is the most common sign of swimmer's ear.Even touching or bumping the outside
of the ear can hurt.
• The
infection also could make it harder to hear with the infected ear because of
the swelling that happens in the ear canal.
TREATMENT:
If you have swimmer's ear, the doctor will probably
prescribe eardrops that contain an antibiotic to kill the bacteria.
Use the drops as long as your doctor tells you to, even if
your ear starts feeling better. Stopping too soon can cause the infection to come
back.
If ear ache persists, the doctor may suggest a pain
medication. This can help you feel better while you're waiting for the
antibiotic to work.
When to resume swimming
It could be as long as a week to 10 days before the doctor
says OK. That's a bummer in the summer, but it's better than having that awful
ear pain again!
Santosh Sharma
Senior Nurse
