Grommets Discharge Information

Surgical Day Care Unit

Information for parents and carers

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Grommets – PIAG 04 (140kB pdf)

Introduction

Your child is ready to go home after receiving surgery and a general anaesthetic to have
grommets inserted. A grommet is a tiny tube that is placed in the ear drum. A grommet can remain in place for up to 6-12 months, sometimes longer. This leaflet aims to provide you with information to help you care for your child once at home.

Most children appear quite alert and active when they are discharged from hospital. However do not be surprised if your child reports feeling dizzy, tired or is a little clumsy. This may last for a couple of days.

For the next 24 hours

• You should encourage your child to rest.
• You should make sure your child’s activities are supervised by a responsible adult.
• Do not let your child ride a bike.
• Do not let your child take part in outdoor activities.
• Do not give your child fizzy drinks.
• Do not give your child hard food to digest foods such as chips, burgers.
• Your child may complain of a sore throat, hoarseness or muscle ache or pain following ananaesthetic. You can give your child Paracetamol. Do not exceed the recommended dosagefor your child’s age.
• All advice regarding medicines will be given to you when your child is discharged.

What to do if your child starts to vomit

If your child vomits on the way home or when you get home, do not be alarmed. Do not give your child anything to eat or drink for one hour. After that you can start giving your child a small amount of water or juice. Then gradually start to increase the amount of fluid you give to your child. Once your child can keep fluids down you can begin to give them a light diet.

If the vomiting continues, please contact your GP out of hours telephone number or your
nearest Accident & Emergency Department.

What to do when your child goes home

There may be a small amount of bleeding from the ear during the first 12 to 24 hours after the operation and a slight discharge for the first week, this is normal.

Surgical Day Care Unit Grommets Discharge information for parents and carers
You should not try to clean inside the ear canal, but you may clean the outside of the ear.
Do not poke anything into your child’s ear.

When washing your child’s hair or bathing your child, we advise that your child wears ear plugs or cotton wool with a small amount of Vaseline on. Your child shouldn’t immerse their head under soapy bath water

Your child may go swimming two weeks after the operation. They can wear ear plugs or the cotton wool as advised above, and/or a bathing cap. Your child is discouraged from diving but if they are keen swimmers, to use the headbands and/or ear plugs. They can dive and immerse their head under water but should not dive to a depth of more than a few meters.

What to do if problems occur

If your child has fresh bleeding from their ears, or has pain continuing for more than two days, bring your child back to the Accident and Emergency Department of the hospital.

If your child develops a cough, cold or high temperature, contact your G.P

This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.

This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.

PIAG: 04