Private grommet surgery  

Grommets can help drain away a build up of the sticky fluid caused by glue ear. Most of the time grommets aren’t necessary, but they may be recommended if the glue ear won’t go away and is affecting hearing or speech, or it causes lots of ear infections.

If you are worried about glue ear and are looking for a children’s ENT specialist for grommets, we can carry out a careful examination of your child’s ear and discuss the most appropriate treatment option. 

Grommets are inserted in the eardrum under a light general anaesthetic usually as a day case admission to hospital, and the procedure takes between 10-20 minutes.

It is carried out in the ear canal so there are no cuts on the outside of the ear. A small opening is made in the eardrum using a microscope to magnify the area and the fluid is sucked out of the ear using a fine suction tube. The grommet is then placed in the opening in the eardrum.

They fall out by themselves as the eardrum is constantly growing. They may stay in for six months, or a year, or sometimes even longer in older children. You may not even notice when they drop out.

Glue ear usually gets better by itself, but it can take a while.

We don’t usually recommend treating your child for the first three months, as around 50% of cases will resolve naturally in this time. After three months, we will see your child again and decide whether grommets are needed.

If the glue ear is not causing any problems, we can just wait for it to settle by itself. If it is causing problems with poor hearing, poor speech or lots of infections, we offer private grommet surgery, carried out by leading ENT surgeons. 

If we do insert grommets, the glue ear may come back in 1 in 3 children after the grommet falls out. We may need to insert more grommets until your child grows out of the problem.

Glue ear can frequently occur in children or adults who have allergies, which can cause congestion in the nose and around the ears. A nasal steroid spray can be beneficial, as treating the allergy can sometimes help clear the fluid build up from glue ear over a period of weeks, avoiding the need for grommets.

Unfortunately, antibiotics, antihistamines and decongestants do not help this type of ear problem and alternative treatments, such as cranial osteopathy, are also not helpful. A nasal balloon to open the tube to the ear may help older children but has to be used regularly.

Taking out the adenoids may help the glue ear get better, and your surgeon may want to do this at the same time inserting grommets. A hearing aid can sometimes be used to treat the poor hearing and speech problems caused by glue ear and would mean that your child would not need an operation.

No. Grommets are not usually sore. But you can give your child painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if you think it will help. Grommets should improve your child’s hearing immediately. Everyday sounds can appear too loud until your child gets used to having normal hearing again, which usually takes only a few days.

Most people with grommets don’t get ear infections. An infection may produce yellow fluid but it will not be as sore as a normal infection and your child won’t be as ill.

You should take your child to your GP who may prescribe antibiotic ear drops which should deal with the problem. Ask your GP or ENT specialist for help if infections become troublesome.

Yes, within a couple of weeks of the operation. But diving under water is not a good idea as water can pass through the grommet into the ear.

Keen swimmers can use tailor-made earplugs or special headbands and ear putty to stop water getting in. It is a good idea to plug your child’s ears with a cotton-wool ball covered in Vaseline in the bath or shower.

It’s a short operation and your child will usually only be off on the day of the procedure. They should be able to get back to normal the following day.

If your child’s hearing has been affected it’s important to get their hearing tested as soon as you can. In the meantime, it’s helpful to speak clearly and be patient while your child answers. It’s also important for your child to see your face when you speak and remember to call your child’s name, to get them to look at you before you speak. And remember to tell teachers that your child has a hearing problem. It is also a good idea for them to sit at the front of the class.

Experts agree it is safe to fly with grommets – they should actually prevent the ear pain that results from the pressure change in the plane. 

We need to check your child’s hearing after grommets have been inserted, to make sure their hearing is better, and we will then see your child usually 9 to 12 months after the procedure, once the grommets have come out. This is to check their ears and hearing. Sometimes a small hole in the eardrum is left behind. This usually heals with time, but sometimes a small operation is needed to close the hole. The grommet can leave some scarring in the eardrum but this does not usually affect hearing.