My Child Has Ear Discharge After Grommets — Is This Normal? A Parent’s Guide Your child had grommets inserted to help with glue ear or recurrent middle-ear problems. Their hearing may have improved. They returned to nursery or school. Everything seemed settled. Then one morning you notice: fluid coming from the ear. Perhaps there is a small mark on the pillow. Perhaps the ear looks wet. Sometimes the discharge is yellow or sticky; occasionally parents notice an unpleasant smell. The immediate question is usually: “Has something gone wrong with the grommet?” The reassuring answer is that ear discharge in a child with grommets is a recognised problem and is often treatable. A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained fluid shortly after the operation can occur. University Hospitals Sussex's children's grommet guidance , reviewed 18 June 2026 , describes slight clear discharge during the first day or so as something that can happen after surgery. Discharge that persists, de...
My Child Has Ear Discharge After Grommets — Is This Normal? A Parent’s Guide
Your child had grommets inserted to help with glue ear or recurrent middle-ear problems.
Their hearing may have improved. They returned to nursery or school. Everything seemed settled.
Then one morning you notice:
fluid coming from the ear.
Perhaps there is a small mark on the pillow. Perhaps the ear looks wet. Sometimes the discharge is yellow or sticky; occasionally parents notice an unpleasant smell.
The immediate question is usually:
“Has something gone wrong with the grommet?”
The reassuring answer is that ear discharge in a child with grommets is a recognised problem and is often treatable.
A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained fluid shortly after the operation can occur. University Hospitals Sussex's children's grommet guidance, reviewed 18 June 2026, describes slight clear discharge during the first day or so as something that can happen after surgery.
Discharge that persists, develops later, becomes thick or smelly, or is accompanied by other symptoms may indicate infection.
This guide explains what parents should look for and when their child needs assessment.
What exactly is a grommet?
A grommet is a tiny ventilation tube placed through the eardrum.
Normally, the Eustachian tube ventilates the middle ear and connects it to the back of the nose.
In young children, this system does not always work efficiently.
Fluid can therefore collect behind the eardrum, producing otitis media with effusion—better known as glue ear.
NICE explains that glue ear can cause temporary hearing loss and, when significant or persistent, may affect communication, speech, learning and social interaction.
A grommet creates a temporary alternative route for ventilation.
How long do grommets stay in?
Grommets are designed to be temporary.
As the eardrum naturally grows and heals, it gradually pushes the grommet out.
NICE's guideline committee notes that grommets commonly fall out between approximately 6 and 18 months, although the timing varies considerably between children.
Parents often never notice the grommet coming out because it is tiny and may simply leave the ear canal with wax.
Is discharge normal immediately after grommet surgery?
A small amount can be.
The operation involves making a tiny opening in the eardrum and inserting the ventilation tube.
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital advises parents that they may see a small, blood-stained discharge the morning after surgery.
University Hospitals Sussex similarly states that slight clear discharge can occur during the first day or so.
So a small amount of fluid shortly after surgery does not automatically mean infection.
However, the pattern should improve rather than worsen.
What discharge suggests infection?
Contact your healthcare team if discharge:
- persists beyond the expected early postoperative period
- becomes thick
- becomes yellow or pus-like
- develops an unpleasant smell
- repeatedly returns
- is associated with increasing ear discomfort
- occurs with fever or your child becoming unwell.
University Hospitals Sussex advises contacting a GP when discharge continues or becomes thick, smelly or blood-stained.
South Tees' parent guidance similarly advises assessment when the ear becomes painful, smelly or begins discharging pus.
Why can an infected ear discharge through a grommet?
Without a grommet, infected fluid in the middle ear is trapped behind an intact eardrum.
That pressure often causes considerable earache.
A functioning grommet provides a small opening.
If infection develops, fluid may therefore drain through the grommet and out into the ear canal.
This produces an interesting pattern:
Sometimes less pain, but more visible discharge.
Frimley Health's current 2026 grommet guidance specifically notes that children with grommet-related ear infections may experience less pain but more discharge.
This does not mean the infection should be ignored.
It explains why a child can have a noticeably wet ear while appearing surprisingly comfortable.
Does discharge mean the grommet has failed?
Usually not.
In fact, discharge may occur because the grommet is still open and allows fluid from the middle ear to escape.
The important questions are:
- Why is the ear discharging?
- How long has it been happening?
- Is the grommet still correctly positioned?
- Is the ear canal clear?
- Is hearing affected?
An ear examination helps answer these questions.
Should I clean the discharge away?
You can gently wipe discharge that has reached the outside of the ear.
Do not insert cotton buds, rolled tissue, hair grips or other objects into the ear canal.
NHS ear-infection guidance advises wiping visible discharge externally but specifically warns against putting cotton buds or fingers inside the ear.
Deep cleaning can traumatise the canal and may push debris further inside.
Should I keep the ear dry?
If the ear is actively discharging, yes.
NICE specifically recommends water precautions for isolated ear discharge after grommet insertion, including avoiding swimming and taking care when bathing or washing hair.
This distinction matters because advice about routine swimming with healthy, non-discharging grommets varies somewhat between services.
When infection is active:
Keep the ear dry until the discharge has settled and follow the advice of your child's treating team.
Can my child swim with grommets?
This is one of the most common questions parents ask.
Current NHS hospital guidance varies slightly according to the type of swimming and local postoperative protocol.
Frimley Health advises that most children can return to swimming, particularly surface swimming, but that water under pressure may enter through the grommet.
University Hospitals Sussex recommends surface swimming after the initial postoperative period and advises against diving underwater.
NICE gives a clearer rule when discharge is actually present:
Avoid swimming while the ear is discharging.
For recurrent discharge associated with water exposure, NICE advises considering ear plugs or headbands.
Follow the specific instructions from your child's surgeon, as postoperative protocols may differ.
Will my child need antibiotic drops?
Sometimes.
NICE recommends considering non-ototoxic topical antibiotic ear drops for 5–7 days for otorrhoea following grommet insertion.
The important word is appropriate.
Parents should not simply use leftover drops from an older prescription.
Some ear preparations are not appropriate when there is an opening in the eardrum, including a functioning grommet.
The ear should be assessed and treatment chosen by an appropriate healthcare professional.
Are ear drops better than antibiotic medicine?
For uncomplicated discharge through a grommet, topical treatment can often deliver medication directly to the infection site.
Frimley Health's current patient guidance notes that antibiotic ear drops are generally more effective than oral antibiotics for this particular situation.
However, oral antibiotics may sometimes be appropriate if the child has an infection beyond the ear or is systemically unwell.
Treatment should therefore depend on the individual clinical picture.
How do I put ear drops in properly?
If drops have been prescribed:
- Wash your hands.
- Gently wipe away discharge from the outer ear.
- Lie your child on their side with the affected ear facing upwards.
- Put in the prescribed number of drops.
- Gently manipulate the outer ear as advised.
- Keep your child in that position for several minutes.
NHS guidance recommends staying on the side for around five minutes to reduce the chance of drops running back out immediately.
Follow the specific instructions supplied with your child's medication.
What if the discharge keeps returning?
Repeated otorrhoea deserves reassessment.
Possible contributors include:
- recurrent middle-ear infection
- repeated water exposure
- debris around the grommet
- chronic inflammation
- an obstructed grommet
- persistent middle-ear disease.
NICE recommends ear protection during water exposure for children with recurrent otorrhoea after grommet surgery.
If discharge persists despite appropriate topical antibiotics, NICE says removal of the grommet may occasionally need consideration.
That is not the usual outcome, but it illustrates why persistent discharge should not simply be treated indefinitely without reviewing the ear.
Can discharge affect my child's hearing?
Temporarily, yes.
Fluid or debris filling the ear canal can reduce sound transmission.
The underlying middle-ear infection may also affect hearing.
If hearing does not return to the expected level after the infection settles, audiology assessment may be appropriate.
NICE recommends a postoperative hearing test around six weeks after grommet surgery for OME, with further assessment when hearing concerns persist or recur.
What if I see the grommet coming out?
Do not panic.
Grommets are designed to fall out naturally.
They can sometimes be seen in earwax and look like a tiny plastic ring or cotton reel.
Do not try to push it back into the ear.
Once it has extruded, the eardrum normally heals.
If hearing problems return later, the child may need another hearing assessment because glue ear can occasionally recur.
Can the grommet leave a hole in the eardrum?
Occasionally.
Normally the tiny opening closes after the grommet falls out.
However, a small number of children develop a persistent perforation.
NICE recognises eardrum perforation and otorrhoea as possible complications following grommet insertion.
A persistent perforation can usually be monitored and, when necessary, later assessed for repair.
Could smelly discharge mean cholesteatoma?
Most discharge in a child with grommets is not cholesteatoma.
However, persistent or recurrent smelly ear discharge—particularly when the grommet is no longer present or the eardrum looks abnormal—deserves proper examination.
Cholesteatoma is an uncommon but important condition involving abnormal skin growth within the middle ear and mastoid.
Do not diagnose it from discharge alone.
The practical message for parents is simpler:
Persistent smelly discharge deserves ENT assessment rather than repeated treatment without examining the eardrum.
Red flags: when should parents seek urgent medical advice?
NHS advises urgent GP or NHS 111 assessment for a child with an ear infection who develops:
- swelling around the ear
- new hearing loss or a significant hearing change
- vomiting or dizziness
- very high temperature
- significant general illness
- fluid coming from the ear with concerning symptoms.
Seek prompt assessment after grommet surgery if:
- discharge becomes heavy or persistent
- the ear is increasingly painful
- discharge is strongly offensive
- your child develops fever and appears unwell
- there is swelling or redness behind the ear
- the ear begins sticking out unusually
- hearing suddenly deteriorates.
Call 999 for severe breathing problems, collapse, marked reduced consciousness, seizures or another immediately life-threatening problem.
When should my child see a paediatric ENT specialist?
ENT reassessment may be useful when:
- discharge keeps returning
- prescribed treatment has not cleared it
- the grommet appears blocked or displaced
- the eardrum cannot be adequately examined
- hearing remains reduced
- there is persistent offensive discharge
- the child has repeated ear infections despite grommets.
Specialist examination can determine whether the problem is a straightforward infection or whether another ear condition is contributing.
Paediatric grommet and ear-discharge assessment in London and Essex
Seeing fluid coming from a child's ear after surgery can understandably make parents worry that the operation has failed.
Often, it is not.
Mr Gaurav Kumar, Consultant ENT Surgeon, assesses children with grommets, recurrent ear discharge, glue ear, hearing difficulties and other paediatric ear problems across London, East London, Romford, Ilford, Redbridge, Brentwood, Chelmsford and surrounding areas of Essex.
The goal is to identify the cause of the discharge, treat infection appropriately, and ensure hearing and the eardrum remain healthy.
The key message for parents
A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained discharge shortly after grommet surgery can occur.
Discharge that develops later, persists, becomes yellow, thick, or smelly, or repeatedly returns suggests infection and should be assessed.
If the ear is actively discharging:
Keep it dry, avoid swimming and seek appropriate clinical advice.
Do not put cotton buds into the ear and do not automatically use old ear drops.
Most grommet-related infections are manageable, but persistent or recurrent discharge deserves another look at the ear.
Frequently asked questions
Is ear discharge normal immediately after grommet surgery?
A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained discharge may occur during the first day or so. Persistent, thick or smelly discharge needs assessment.
Why is my child's ear leaking yellow fluid with a grommet?
A functioning grommet can allow infected middle-ear fluid to drain into the ear canal. Consider infection, particularly if discharge persists.
Does discharge mean the grommet has failed?
No. The grommet may actually be allowing infected fluid to escape. The ear still needs examination if discharge persists or repeatedly returns.
Can my child swim while their ear is discharging?
No. NICE recommends keeping an actively discharging ear dry and avoiding swimming.
Will my child need antibiotic ear drops?
NICE recommends considering an appropriate non-ototoxic topical antibiotic for otorrhoea after grommet insertion. Prescribe treatment for the individual child.
Should I clean inside the ear with a cotton bud?
No. Wipe discharge only from the outside and avoid inserting cotton buds or other objects into the canal.
What if discharge keeps returning?
Recurrent or persistent discharge deserves reassessment. Water precautions, further treatment or occasionally management of the grommet itself may be considered.
When should I worry about ear discharge?
Seek prompt assessment for persistent offensive discharge, worsening pain, fever, new hearing loss, dizziness or swelling/redness around or behind the ear.
Disclaimer: This information is intended for general educational and regional SEO purposes only and does not replace personalised clinical advice. For a definitive structural evaluation, you need a face-to-face consultation with a registered specialist.
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