7 Ways to Prevent Ear Infections in Your Swimmer

Swimmer’s ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal that can cause pain and discomfort in children of all ages. It can occur when water stays in the ear canal for too long, allowing for the growth of germs to occur

1. Dry your child’s ears thoroughly after each swim lesson.

Unfortunately, these germs are often found in private and public swimming pools, where the chlorinated water can kill off the “good” bacteria and allow for the “bad” bacteria to grow. Many parents often wonder how they can prevent these bothersome infections from occurring, especially when their children spend a lot of time in swim lessons. Luckily, there are some important steps you can take to reduce your child’s risk of ear infection so that he/she can thoroughly enjoy their lessons!

Make sure to use a towel to dry your child’s ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing. You can tilt your child’s head to the side and encourage them to shake their head in order to help water drain out of each ear canal. If your child still complains of water in his/her ears, consider using a hair dryer on low heat (hold it far away from the child’s ear) to move air through the ear canal.

2. Keep your child’s ears as dry as possible while swimming

If your child is especially prone to ear infections, he/she may use a swim cap or ear plugs when swimming. This is a good way to prevent ear infection, since it will prevent water from entering the ear canal and allowing for bacterial growth.

3. Do NOT place objects in your child’s ear canal

Never let your child place objects in his/her ear canal. This includes cotton swabs/Q-tips, pencils, fingers, and any other pointed object. Placing any object into the ear canal is extremely dangerous and can result in injury or infection.

4. Know pool pH and disinfectant level

If you have your own private pool, you can buy test strips to check your pool’s pH and disinfectant level in order to make sure they are within safe limits for your child during his/her swim lessons.

5. Avoid swimming in dirty water

If your child goes swimming in a lake or stream, make sure they shower or rinse their ears out with clean water afterwards.

6. If your child is prone to swimmer’s ear, talk to his/her health care provider about the use of preventative eardrops

Eardrops for the prevention of swimmer’s ear can be helpful for children who are especially prone to developing ear infections. Consult your child’s health care provider to see if this option might be good for your child before/after swim lessons.

7. Know how to recognize if your child does develop an infection

Some children may develop swimmer’s ear despite your best efforts to prevent it. In these cases, early recognition of the infection is key to proper treatment and recovery. Symptoms of swimmer’s ear include complaints of itchiness inside the ear, complaints of pain when pressure is placed on the ear or the outer ear is wiggled, redness, swelling, fever, diminished hearing, and pus draining from the ear. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is important that you consult your child’s health care provider as soon as possible.

About the author: Leslie Castillo, RN, BSN
Leslie Castillo Navia is a Registered Nurse with a passion for working with children in a variety of settings. She has several seasons of lifeguarding experience and her specialty is teaching toddlers to swim. She speaks fluent English and Spanish, has extensive international experience and has experience working with children with physical and mental disabilities. She balances fun and learning by incorporating songs and games into her lessons, and she puts a special emphasis on child safety and accident prevention.