• Reference Number: HEY1075/2022
• Departments: Day Surgery (DSU), Paediatrics
• Last Updated: 31 October 2022

Introduction

This advice sheet has been produced to give you information and advice about the removal of Grommets, Bobbins or T-Tubes. It is not meant to replace discussion between you and your child’s doctor. If after reading it, you require further explanation please discuss this with the relevant person who has been caring for your child.

Your child’s consultant is _________________________

Surgery performed by ____________________________

Should you need any further help or advice, please telephone:

Paediatric Day Surgery Unit, CHH – tel: 01482 624780 – Monday to Wednesday 08:00 to 18:00

Acorn Ward, Women and Children’s Hospital HRI – tel: 01482 382703 or tel: 01482 382679

Follow-up

The consultant may wish to see your child again a few months after the operation, if so an appointment will be sent through the post.

School / Nursery

Your child will need to be off school or nursery for one to two days. If you feel that your child needs a little longer to recover we are happy for you to use your own judgement.  Your child will not be able to go swimming for two weeks.

After the surgery

A blood stained discharge may occur for two to three days after the grommets/ bobbins have been removed, this is not unusual. If this discharge becomes excessive, yellow or your child becomes feverish or unwell you will need to see your doctor as a course of antibiotic drops may be required.

Pain relief

We recommend that for the first 24 to 48 hours, a suitable form of pain relief medication is given regularly, paracetamol syrup or ibuprofen. (Ibuprofen may not be suitable for asthmatics)

General care

For about two weeks you will need to protect your child’s ears when washing their hair.  This is best done by gently plugging the outer ear with cotton wool dipped in petroleum jelly.  Take care not to push the cotton wool deep into the ear.

When using cotton buds avoid cleaning inside the ear canal and only clean the outer visible part of the ear.  Cotton buds can be damaging when used incorrectly.

Information about your child

We collect and use your child’s information to provide your child with care and treatment. As part of your child’s care, your child’s information will be shared between members of the healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your child’s information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health or social organisations that provide your child with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for your child.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about your child. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You. www.hey.nhs.uk/privacy/data-protection

If you or your child’s carer needs information about your child’s health and well-being and about your child’s care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats your child, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to your child. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your child’s condition, the alternatives available for your child, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about your child

We collect and use your child’s information to provide your child with care and treatment. As part of your child’s care, information about your child will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your child’s information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide your child with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your child’s doctor, or the person caring for your child.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about your child. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you need information about your child’s (or a child you care for) health and wellbeing and their care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.