2 situations need to remove earwax for children, the rest...don't do anything

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. He has 15 years of experience in diagnosing & treating pediatric diseases, having worked at Da Nang Hospital and Danang Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology. His strength is in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric pathologies, resuscitation, pediatric emergency.

Not all parents know how to properly remove earwax for their baby. Improper ear cleaning can cause pain and ear infections, affecting your baby's hearing. So is it necessary to remove earwax for the baby? How to remove earwax for babies without pain?

Earwax is a self-generated mucus in the ear canal, it belongs to the self-cleaning mechanism of the ear canal, being pushed from the ear disc to the ear canal.
Many people think it is dirty, making the ear unhygienic and affecting the ear function, but it is not. In addition, earwax also has a protective function for the body:
Earwax is a waxy substance that helps fight infections and warms and lubricates the ear canal secreted by the outer ear canal to take on the task of capturing dust. bacteria, even small insects... when they get into the ear canal. It also prevents dirt from entering the ear canal; Through the chewing movement of the lower jaw bone, the cilia in the ear canal will move gently in the direction from the inside out and push this waxy mass out near the ear canal. Here, under the influence of air, the earwax gradually becomes dry, peels off from the ear and falls out without us having to affect it; Trying to remove earwax by picking your baby's ear or other objects can cause it to go deeper and clog the ear canal. Not to mention these items can hurt the ear, maybe even make a temporary deafness; In young children, when the earwax dries, it will be pushed out by itself through eating and drinking from the teeth. Therefore, in fact, mothers do not need to clean their children's ears often. We also should not pick the baby's ears every day because it will take away a natural protective factor for the ear from dust and infection.

Earwax only really causes trouble in two cases:
First, when they accumulate too much, obstructing the doctor's view of the eardrum during examination; Second, when they cause a complete blockage of the external ear canal. At this time, the child's hearing may be reduced. The feeling of blockage or hearing loss may increase after a child's bath or swim, as the earplugs swell with water. Where the earwax completely covers the eardrum, the child may temporarily lose the ability to hear. For young children who are learning to speak, earplugs left on for too long can make them slow to speak. When examining and discovering that a child has a lot of earwax, which interferes with the entire eardrum, the doctor can use an earwax to remove the earwax. In case the earwax is dry, hard, difficult to remove and the eardrum is not punctured, the doctor may advise the mother to soften the earwax at home before taking the child to the doctor again.

=>> See more How to properly remove earwax for children parents need to know
You absolutely should not use sharp objects such as nails or cotton swabs to remove earwax for your baby because this method makes earwax go away. deeper, affecting the eardrum inside the ear.
To remove earwax for your baby painlessly and safely, you should only do the following:
Use a thin, soft cotton towel to lightly absorb around the earlobe for your child, then slightly twist a corner of the towel, slowly deep inside the ear and continue to twist. The earwax will follow the twist of the cotton towel and come out. With the soft nature of the towel, it will not harm the baby's ear membranes, but the earwax will still be cleaned.
When the baby's ear is scratched or especially when there is an otitis media, parents should not use earwax or any other earwax to pick the baby's ears, because they can cause pain and bad effects. to the baby's ear.
If the earwax is abundant and difficult to get, the mother needs to soften the earwax with hydrogen peroxide before removing the earwax for the child according to the following steps:
Step 1: Place the baby on his side, the ear to be cleaned is on the other side. above. Let your baby watch TV or read stories to them; Step 2: Use a needleless plastic syringe to suck up the prepared earwax softening mixture; Step 3: Put this mixture into the ear until it fills the outer ear canal. Usually about 5-10 drops are needed. Should be instilled slowly, one drop at a time, so that each drop can go deep inside, softening earwax. Keep your baby still for 5 minutes. If the child is uncoordinated, a shorter time may be accepted; Step 4: Tilt the baby's head in the opposite direction to let the drops flow out; Repeat this movement 1 time per day for 3-5 days. =>> See more articles of Pediatrician Le Thanh Cam instructing parents to handle when baby's earwax is dry and clumpy
After the last day, you can proceed to wash your baby's ears. Sit your baby upright, tilt her head into the sink or basin, and gently inject a little warm water into her ear with a plastic syringe without a needle. Pay attention to make the water warm enough, if the water is too cold or too hot, it can make the baby uncomfortable. At this point, you can see bits of earwax drifting out.
If the earwax disintegrates a lot, the parents should continue to use ear drops for the baby for a few more days, until the earwax is completely disintegrated and completely pushed out of the ear canal; If the earwax just softens without disintegrating and remains in the ear canal, parents should take the child to see a doctor to remove or suck the earwax out. This will make the earwax softer and easier to remove and won't hurt your baby. In summary, it is not necessary for parents to remove earwax for their children, except in cases where the baby's ears are blocked by hard dry or purulent earwax, causing ear pain, causing the baby to always pull the ear or cry. There is an unpleasant odor outside the ear, and hearing is worse than usual. When this is the case, the mother should not arbitrarily clean the child's ears, but should take her to an Ear - Nose - Throat specialist.
To protect children from agents that affect their health, you need to monitor and take them to a doctor when there are abnormal symptoms. Parents can bring their children to Vinmec hospital for advice and examination because this is a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics always brings satisfaction to customers and is trusted by industry experts. Highly appreciated with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts, highly qualified (professor, associate professor, doctorate, master), experienced , used to work at big hospitals like Bach Mai, 108.. The doctors are all well-trained, professional, have a heart - reach, understand young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.