How to choose baby swimming earplugs?

When sending a child to swimming classes, in addition to a swimsuit, glasses and a hat, it is worth purchasing special waterproof earplugs for him. Such designs are very convenient to use and allow you to avoid many common ear diseases, up to otitis media - inflammation of the outer ear.

Children's swimming earplugs, in fact, differ from adult models only in their smaller size. They take into account all the structural features of a small and narrow ear canal, perfectly protecting the child from ear infections that may occur after being in the pool.

In some cases, waterproof earplugs are custom made to ensure a perfect fit. The master takes casts of the auricles, after which he makes high-quality products, decorating them with multi-colored images, patterns or letters. If desired, the products are additionally treated with antibacterial substances.

It should be added that professional brands of earplugs for swimming are generally not divided into children and adults. The highest quality products are considered to be the brands Arena, Speedo and TYR.

The most popular are silicone earplugs, which have the advantage of being flexible and comfortable to wear. Silicone very rarely causes allergies, it does not irritate the skin and does not change its properties when exposed to sweat or sulfur. Comfortable plugs are easy to use and do not require special maintenance - just wash them regularly and store them in a case. Moreover, they allow you to hear what is happening around, but do not let water inside.

Another type of earplug is wax. Their feature is the ability to warm up to body temperature, as a result of which they fill the ear opening as tightly as possible.

According to the form, it is customary to distinguish several main types of plugs: "arrows", "fungi" and "balls". For children, the “arrows” are most suitable, which can be inserted and taken out without problems, and can also be located at different depths of the ear canal.

More recently, ergo earplugs have also appeared on sale. The "arrows" and "fungi" are characterized by an oblong shape with a small tail, allowing you to quickly remove the plug... In "fungi" the leg is thicker, and the "cap" resembles a rounded mushroom cap. The arrowhead is thinner and the number of tiers varies from 3 to 4. In general, the mushrooms are larger than the arrows.

The "balls" completely fill the ear, and to remove them, you will need to press a certain point under the lobe. The silicone foot of the ear plug has a special void for better sound reception.

Quite often, the right and left earplugs are colored differently. Oblong "mushrooms" and "arrows" are made of medical grade silicone. The balls are created from a combination of vinyl, rubber, natural wax and almond oil. They are the ones that are hypoallergenic.

When choosing earplugs for swimming for your child, it should be remembered that these products are not universal. This means that going to the pool with earplugs for sleeping will be categorically wrong. Swimming accessories should fill the ear canal much more tightly and create pressure to prevent liquid from entering. They will have to be used all year round, so the choice must be made in favor of not only a multifunctional, but also a convenient model.In general, swimming in the winter season without earplugs can even be dangerous, since the likelihood of an infectious disease increases significantly.

Swimming earplugs must be waterproof - that's the point of them. However, the child, on the contrary, should hear the coach's commands, so it is better to consider models that provide such an opportunity. In general, most types of earplugs protect not only from water, but also from such extraneous sounds as music and screams that can interfere with your workout. Others simply block the passage of water. For added protection, wearing these products can be combined with a special cap with ears designed for the pool.

It is better to choose products that are dirt-resistant in case of reusable use. There is no such requirement for disposable earplugs. It is very important to have special regulating holes that reduce the pressure on the ears to the normal level. In their absence, the child may face the problem of persistent headaches.

It is better for children not to buy earplugs, "balls", as many of them face the problem of difficult removal of accessories... It is better to start acquaintance with the products with the “arrows” and ergo earplugs models. In any case, it is important that they do not cause discomfort in the child and reliably protect the ear canal from water.

For more information about earplugs for swimming and sleeping, see the video below.