Tshifularo, Mashudu2018-12-142018-12-142018-09Tshifularo, M. 2018, 'Grommets and swimmers ear', South African Family Practice, vol. 60, no. 5, pp. 21-25.2078-6190 (print)2078-6204 (online)http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68100Acute otitis media (AOM) is one of the most common childhood illnesses. While many children experience sporadic AOM episode, an important group suffer from recurrent AOM (rAOM), defined as three or more episodes in six months or four or more in one year. In this subset of children AOM poses a true burden through frequent episodes of ear pain, irritation, restlessness, pyrexia, general illness, sleepless nights and time lost from nursery or school. This group of children will suffer from poor language and school progress and will require temporary transient relief with ventilation tubes (grommets) or tympanotomy tubes can be offered for rAOM. Myringotomy with tympanostomy tubes is the most common otological surgery.en© 2018 The Author(s). Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0] http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.ChildrenOtological surgeryAcute otitis media (AOM)Recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM)GrommetsSwimmers earArticle