Discovering More About ENT

If your child has persistent problems with one or both of their ears, then your doctor might have referred them to an ENT specialist to find out if they need grommets. How do grommets work and why might your child need them? What do you need to know about this surgical procedure?

How Do Ear Grommets Work?

Some children suffer from regular ear infections or problems with glue ear. Here, their eardrums become blocked and sometimes painful. Children won't have full hearing, and younger children might have speech development delays.

Ear grommets fix these problems. A surgeon inserts a tiny tube into the eardrum. This can relieve blockages by allowing fluid to drain away; it can also relieve pressure build-ups by allowing the eardrum to ventilate.

Grommets don't last forever. They naturally fall out after a period of time. At this point, many children have no further problems; however, some might need to have new grommets put in in the future if their problems return.

What Happens During Ear Grommet Surgery?

Your child will have a general anaesthetic for this procedure. However, they might be able to have day surgery rather than a stay in hospital. This procedure is straightforward and doesn't take long.

During surgery, your surgeon makes a tiny cut in the eardrum. If your child has fluid in the space, they will wait for this to drain away before inserting the grommet tube.

What Happens After Grommet Surgery?

Your child might be a little groggy when they come around after their anaesthesia, but they should perk up quickly. They might have some discomfort in their ear; however, this discomfort might be a lot more tolerable than the pain they had before their procedure.

While your child will get back to normal fast, you do have to restrict what they do immediately after their operation. It's important to keep your child's ear dry. So, you might be told to keep their head out of water. Swimming is off the table at this stage.

Your ENT doctor will continue to see your child after their surgery. After initial checks to make sure that the procedure has worked, they will also want to monitor your child's progress with their grommets.

Grommets really can improve your child's quality of life and development. To find out more about how they work and what to expect from this treatment, talk to your paediatric grommets surgery clinic.