Why Does My Child’s Ear Hurt After Swimming? A Parent’s Guide to Swimmer’s Ear Swimming is one of the pleasures of childhood, particularly during summer holidays. But sometimes a day in the pool is followed by a child complaining: “My ear hurts.” Parents may immediately assume their child has developed another middle-ear infection. However, when ear pain starts after swimming—particularly when the ear feels itchy, blocked or tender to touch—the problem may actually be otitis externa , often called swimmer’s ear . Swimmer’s ear affects the skin lining the ear canal , rather than the space behind the eardrum. Water is an important trigger, but it is not the only one. Scratching, cotton buds, eczema, soap and shampoo can also damage or irritate the delicate skin of the ear canal. Understanding the difference can help parents know what to do, what not to put in the ear, and when their child needs a medical assessment. What exactly is swimmer’s ear? The ear has several differe...
Treating All Adult and Children ENT conditions