Protecting your child’s hearing from harm after a trip to the swimming pool is essential. Dr Navid Taghvaei from hearLife Clinic in Dubai explains some of the dangers little ones face, how to spot them and what to do.
Living in the UAE we are fortunate to have great weather for most of the year. Kids are especially lucky because that means they can spend time in the water year-round, which keeps them active and happy and takes some of the pressure off parents to find ways to entertain them. While water-based activities can bring a great deal of enjoyment, precautionary measures always need to be taken to ensure kids remain safe and well.
There are a number of dangers that come to mind when thinking about kids and water, but one that might not be top of the list is the health of kid’s ears and hearing. In fact there are a few injuries that can cause serious damage if precautionary care and prevention is overlooked.
Swimmer’s ear
Swimmer’s ear, medically known as Otitis Externa, is a non-contagious infection of the outer ear canal resulting from water that remains in the ear after activities such as swimming. The trapped water is the perfect environment for bacterial growth which invades and damages the skin in the ear canal. Kids are more susceptible because they have narrower ear canals and water can easily get trapped.
Recognising the symptoms and initiating treatment with ear drops upon consulting your doctor is essential to avoid complications from a more serious infection or permanent hearing loss if left untreated. Symptoms can include redness or inflammation of the outer ear, itching in the ear canal, pus or fluid discharge, ear pain or hearing loss.
Preventing swimmer’s ear is simple, after some time in the water or following a bath, make sure to gently dry your child’s outer ear with a towel and tilt their head to the side to help drain any remaining water.
Surfer’s ear
Surfer’s ear is the abnormal growth of bone in the ear canal. It is called surfer’s ear because it most commonly affects individuals with frequent exposure to cold water, such as surfers. Cold water and wind causes the bone surrounding the ear canal to thicken and restrict the passage way. This is one of the causes of conductive hearing loss, whereby sound is prevented from being conducted from the outer ear through to middle ear. Narrowness of the ear canal can also cause water, dirt and ear wax to be trapped leading to frequent ear infections.
This condition is not usually common in children, but if you have a child that is eager to become a surfer like their dad or aunt, then early prevention is key as it usually develops over the years. Other water activities associated with surfer’s ear are skiing, kayaking, fishing, sailing or diving.
Ideally surfer’s ear is prevented by avoiding swimming in extremely cold or windy conditions. However, if that comes in the way of practising a favourite water sport, then the best solution is to buy a specially customised set of earplugs as well as wearing a swim cap to prevent surfer’s ear or slow down the growth. Alternatively the same water activity can be enjoyed in warmer waters.
If diagnosed with surfer’s ear, the best treatment is surgery to remove the excess bone growth if it has become extremely uncomfortable and the cause of repeated infections or hearing loss. The bone can regrow if exposure to cold water is continued.
Ear Barotrauma
Barotrauma causes discomfort and possible damage in the ear due to pressure differences between the inside and outside of the eardrum. Commonly known as ‘aeroplane ear’ it is caused by sudden changes in altitude resulting in an imbalance of pressure in the ear. Barotrauma leaves us with uncomfortable sensations including muffled hearing, pain and pressure or more severely, tinnitus (ringing in the ear), vomiting and hearing loss. Usually yawning, chewing gum, swallowing or popping our ears can correct this barotrauma however, in severe cases a doctor’s intervention can be necessary.
Scuba diving is a water sport that can cause barotrauma because of the sudden changes in depth and pressure. It is not recommended for children under the age of 12 to scuba dive – it is a sport that requires a certain sense of maturity and skill which comes with proper training, certification and practise. In fact, in order to avoid barotrauma from scuba diving at any age, it is essential to learn how to dive with a certified diving instructor who will teach your older child how to ascend and descend slowly and demonstrate how to optimally equalise ear pressure through a variety techniques. In addition, diving while sick or with congestion from a cold is never recommended.
With summer holidays already here, kids have enrolled in a variety of water activities either in the UAE or abroad and keeping them safe from easily avoidable harm will ensure the season is smooth sailing from start to finish.
Visit the ENT specialist at Burjeel Hospital, Najda Street, www.burjeel.com (02 508 5555).
