Bacteriological aspects of swimming with grommets.

A prospective bacteriological and symptomatic study was carried out on 50 swimmers and 50 non-swimmers who had grommets inserted for secretory otitis media. The risk of developing otorrhoea with positive bacterial pathogens was similar for swimmers (7.9%) and non-swimmers (8.0%). Subdividing the non-swimmers into 'wetters' and 'strictly dry' there was a similar risk of ear symptoms and pathogens. All children who swim before the insertion of grommets should continue to do so postoperatively with no added risk of ear infections.