Grommets are usually fitted as a day-case so your child will not need to stay in hospital overnight. After the procedure, he or she will be taken from the operating theatre to a recovery room, where they will come round from the anaesthesia under close supervision.
After this, you will be taken to your room or comfortable area where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you’re ready to go home.
On the ward, your child will be cared for by a registered sick children's nurse or a registered nurse with a child branch certificate.
Pain relief
Afterwards, your child may have earache, but often there is no pain. If your child has earache, you can give them paracetamol or ibuprofen. Make sure you follow the instructions on the packet, but you can usually give up to four doses a day.
Recovery time
There may be a little blood-stained discharge from the ear, but this is quite normal. Occasionally children notice a popping or clicking in the ears, but this is not harmful.
With the grommets in place, the fluid in the eardrum will usually clear up. The body will naturally push the grommet out into the ear tube as the eardrum heals, usually over a period of six to 12 months. Sometimes the grommet does not come out by itself and has to be removed with another small operation.
By the time the grommet has fallen out, the glue ear has usually gone away. However, the sticky fluid may return and some children need several operations to have grommets put in.
When the grommet has fallen out, the hole in the eardrum usually closes up of its own accord. In a few cases the hole does not seal up. This can be treated with another operation. When the grommet comes out, there may be a small scar left on the eardrum, but this usually has no effect on hearing.
Looking after your child
Even after your child has left hospital, we’re still looking after him or her every step of the way. After glue ear treatment, we will provide you with a course of antibiotic ear drops for your child to reduce the risk of infection.
Your consultant will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to your child.
The nurse will arrange an appointment for you to bring your child back to the outpatient clinic about six weeks later, when the surgeon will check the position of the grommets.
On rare occasions, complications following glue ear treatment can occur. If your child experiences any of these symptoms – ear infection or high fever – call us straight away.
If you have any questions or concerns, we're here to help.
