School's out and it's time to cool off and go for a swim. Before you take a dive, check out what Parents Ask expert Dr. Adam Friedman has to say about a common summer health issue for children known as otitis externa, aka Swimmer's Ear.

Q:  Last summer, my son went to a two week swim camp and by the end was having terrible ear pain. Eventually it went away but someone said it may be swimmer's ear. Is that common? How can I prevent it this summer?

A:  Otitis externa, which is commonly known as swimmer’s ear, refers to an infection of the skin of the ear canal.  The skin of the ear canal, which houses the glands that produce ear wax, is very thin and delicate.  When water enters the ear, any miniscule break in that skin can make the ear susceptible to infection.  Microscopic injuries to the ear canal can occur from scratching with Q-tips or the fingernails but typically go unnoticed because they themselves do not cause pain or problems.  When moisture contacts those injured areas, however, an infection can follow.

Swimmer’s ear classically develops within days of swimming or bathing although, often times, there is not necessarily a history of water exposure.  Symptoms of otitis externa include severe ear pain, swelling and redness of the skin at the mouth of the ear canal, hearing loss, and a foul-smelling, discolored drainage coming from the ear.  The hearing loss caused by swimmer’s ear is usually only a temporary loss caused by a narrowing of the canal skin. 

Treatment of swimmer’s ear is actually relatively simple.  First, a physician needs to examine the ear to ensure that the infection is confined to the ear canal itself rather than involving the space behind the eardrum.  If this is the case, the doctor will usually clean out the ear canal and give a prescription for an antibiotic-steroid ear drop.  If there is additional infection behind the eardrum or in the soft tissues of the ear and cheek, an oral antibiotic may be prescribed as well.  In addition to medications, it is important to prevent and further irritation of the ear canal by avoiding the use of Q-tips or any other instruments to “clean” or scratch the ear.  Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the ear must stay dry.  Ear plugs may be used or, alternatively, a cotton ball covered in vaseline may be inserted into the ear before bathing.  The plug or cotton ball should be removed after the bath and a hairdryer can be used to gently blow some lukewarm air into the ear to further dry it.

Typically, these types of infection resolve with only a few days of treatment but multiple visits to the physician may be necessary to continuously clean the ear until the infection has completely resolved.  Swimmer’s ear is a common problems but is easily dealt with.  Ear plugs are almost never necessary on a regular basis and, after an infection, kids are usually back in the water in no time with no problem!

See Also:

-Is My Baby Ready for Swimming Lessons?

-Protect Your Baby from the Sun

-Pool Safety: Swim and Sun Safety Tips