Most doctors will warn new parents and tell them never to clean their child’s ear by using any foreign object including Q-Tips. As many parents fear damaging their child’s ears, they usually will leave the ear canal alone and tend to other hygienic needs. However children do need their ear canal cleaned and most lack the sensitivity development to clean their own ears out. If left unchecked, ear wax can build up and seem impossible to remove. ENT Specialists would like to share a few ways you can clean your child’s ear canal without damaging your child’s ear and without the aid of foreign objects.
The ear is separated into three major parts: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear contains the Pinna or the ear itself. The canal and ear drum are comprised of the middle ear, which captures and channels sounds. It is the middle ear that most parents have trouble with. The middle ear contains glands that produce ear wax which helps protect the inner ear from dirt and dust. Most parents are surprised to learn that it is never a good idea to use Q-tips or other similar devices to remove ear wax, especially in kids. Q-Tips simply just cause ear wax to get pushed deeper into the ear and compress the wax into a tight wad.
When cleaning your child’s ear, keep in mind a cotton swab or cloth is perfectly safe for the outer ear only. The inner ear canal should be cleaned regularly as well. To remove hard wax from your child’s ear, you will need to soften the ear wax first. Use either mineral oil or olive oil and warm the oil up. Make sure the oil is not too hot before putting it in your child’s ear, test it on the inside part of your wrist. Put four drops in the ear canal. The warm oil can help soften and make the canal slippery. Allow the warm oil to remain in the canal for 5 to 10 minutes. The thickness of the oil often helps bring the wax out. Have you child lean their head to the side and let gravity do the rest. For stubborn wax you can use an ear syringe to help suck the wax out.
Ear wax build up can lead to many medical problems. If the child’s ear has any blood, oozing or you see pus, this can be a sign of a lesion, sore or infection. If the child complains about ear pain or has high fevers it is wise to have your child seen by a doctor. If you can see a foreign object in the child’s ear, it also recommended you take them to a doctor.
Ear canals don’t need to be cleaned daily or even weekly. The wax is there to help protect the inner ear. However, an overage of wax build up can cause a number of problems such as infections, swimmer’s ear, and bony blockage. Water can get trapped behind the wax leading to infection and skin diseases. This is why it is important to clean your child’s ear. Each child’s ear wax development varies. To determine how often your child’s ear may need to be cleaned can be done by frequent inspections. You can inspect your child’s ear once a week and see when wax begins to buildup and needs to be remove. One of the major issues isn’t the ear wax, but the dead skin tissue inside. If you need your child’s ear cleaned or inspected for compaction, contact ENT Specialists. We can instruct you in caring for your child’s ears and ensure the ear’s health. Call and make an appointment today with the ENT Specialists.
