Grommets (tympanostomy tubes) are tiny tubes placed through the eardrum by an ENT surgeon to treat repeated middle-ear infections or persistent fluid behind the eardrum (“glue ear”). They ventilate the middle ear and, importantly, restore hearing that has been affected by the fluid.
After grommets are placed, a follow-up hearing test is essential to confirm that hearing has fully returned — sometimes the fluid clears but a mild loss remains, and it's easy to miss without a proper test. Grommets typically stay in for 6 – 18 months before falling out on their own; hearing should be re-checked once they're out. If your child has had grommets and you haven't had a post-op hearing check, book one — it's a short appointment and often reassuring.