When a baby appears in the family, newly-made parents have many questions about caring for him. Any first hygiene procedure causes them panic - bathing, changing diapers, treating the umbilical wound and even cleaning the ears. Is it necessary to clean the ears of infants? And if possible, how to do it right? In the article you will find answers to these and many other questions.
So do children need to clean their ears or not?
Many argue that sulfur that accumulates in the ears must be cleaned, even in children. Doctors reiterate with one voice, this is not worth doing, especially to climb into the ear canal with a cotton swab. But why?
Despite the unpleasant appearance, sulfur performs a protective function - it prevents the eardrum from drying out. It also prevents the penetration of pathogenic bacteria and dirt into the ear canal. But the more often we clean the ear, the more sulfur is produced. As a result, sulfuric plug may form in the ear, and this very negatively affects the baby’s hearing.
In the ear canal are villi, pushing sulfur from the inside into the auricle, where it can be easily obtained. The villi are most active when talking, laughing, chewing food.
Here is the answer to the question of whether to clean the ears of the child. So how do you not hygiene at all? It is necessary, but not to stick cotton buds deep into the ear canal, but to collect it from the outside of the sink.
How is the baby eye arranged?
The auricle is formed after the birth of the baby. Its eardrum is located close to the entrance near the ear canal. The cartilage does not completely block it. The baby has a wide and short auditory meatus, which does not bend. This structure makes the ears of newborns and infants vulnerable.
Because of this, any penetration into the ear canal can lead to unpleasant sensations in the child and very negative damage. Therefore, cleaning the ears of children with cotton buds is prohibited.
How to clean the ears of babies and older children?
Newborn babies should undergo a hygienic procedure using a gauze tow or a special cotton swab, which has a stop at the end. You can use a folded piece of cotton pad for this purpose.
Do I need to clean my ears with chopsticks? This is forbidden, because with any improper manipulation there is a risk of damage to the eardrum. To clean the ears of children after a year, it is also better to refuse cotton buds.
Action algorithm
You already know whether to clean the ears of the baby - yes, but only the auricle, and not the ear canal. Care is only for hygiene. This is done once every 7 days after a bath or shower.
In this case, you just need to extract the sulfur that you observe on the surface. It is strictly forbidden to climb inside the child’s ear, especially if it is still small (up to 3 years).
Here is the sequence of manipulations that the parent must perform:
- Lay the baby on a barrel so that it is convenient for him. For newborns, perform a hygiene during sleep.
- Moisten a cotton pad slightly with warm boiled water and gently wipe the visible part of the sink. Use a new cotton pad for each ear.
- Dried crusts in the ears or behind them should not be removed immediately. So you can hurt your child. First soften them with baby cream or liquid paraffin, and then carefully remove.
- If you want to clean your ear after bathing, you need to prepare one wet and dry ball of cotton wool (cotton pad) and a flagellum. First of all, wipe the ear from the outside with a slightly moist flagellum, and behind the ears with moist cotton. In this case, water should not drain from the fleece, otherwise it may get inside the ear. Then blot the ears with a dry disc or flagellum. As a result, you clean your ear to the maximum.
If the child is naughty or kicks, do not insist on cleaning your ears. Do I need to clean my ears in this case? No, you should postpone this procedure until better times.
Clean behind the ears
Do I need to clean my ears from the back? Yes, cleanliness should be everywhere. If this area is not given proper attention, inflammation may occur behind the child’s ears. Here is a list of common problems:
- The appearance of crusts. They may be due to non-compliance with basic hygiene rules. In a newborn baby, milk often drains into the behind-the-ear folds when feeding. There it dries and forms crusts. Removing them without pre-soaking is not worth it. So you deliver the pain to the baby.
- The formation of diaper rash due to insufficient drying of the ears after taking a bath. Even if you have completely dried your hair, but immediately after wearing a hat, diaper rash can still appear. The baby's skin should breathe. Do not wrap and swaddle the baby. These are already relics of the past.
What could be more dangerous than ear cleaning in children?
The desire of adults to penetrate deeper into the ear with a wand to pull out more sulfur can result in sad consequences for the child.
The slightest flinch or just stirring can accidentally cause injury to the eardrum. As a result, there is a risk of complete hearing loss. Restoring it will be quite difficult.
Do I need to clean my ears with cotton buds? No, this is not worth it. They are not designed to extract ear wax. With its help, you only push the sulfur deeper into the ear, which will lead to the formation of sulfur plugs.
What should not be done while cleaning the ears?
In order not to accidentally harm your child while cleaning his ears, remember a few rules:
- Do not use cotton buds, toothpicks or matches wrapped in cotton wool for this purpose.
- You can not carry out a hygiene procedure if you have long nails.
- It is necessary to use different oils (the exception is the removal of crusts in the behind-the-ear folds).
- Do not attempt to remove a foreign object or sulfur cork on your own.
When should I see a doctor?
If you do not know if you need to clean the ears of a newborn baby or are not sure how to do it correctly, it is better to consult a pediatrician. If you notice any formations or a rash on the ear, immediately go to an otolaryngologist appointment.
Never give a cotton bud to a small child. He might accidentally poke his wand in his ear. There are also cases when a child pushes a small object into his ear. In no case do not try to take out a foreign body on your own.
Any object that gets into the ear canal is very irritating to the internal environment. If parents try to pull it out on their own, this can lead to damage to the ear cavity. And this is fraught with inflammation and subsequent suppuration. If a foreign object gets into your ear, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Also, do not postpone a trip to a specialist in such cases:
- Sulfur does not stand out from the ear canal at all. It’s better to get it with the help of a doctor. He will do it painlessly and quickly.
- If the child has an unpleasant smell from the ears.
- You notice discharge from the ear canal of the baby.
- Sulfur changed and became a different color and liquid consistency. Normal sulfur should be tan. If the shade has changed, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.
- The ear outside or inside became inflamed and reddened.
- There are signs of sulfur cork. The doctor will remove it with an irrigator or other special devices.
The ears of newborn babies and older children can and should be cleaned. Only this must be done very carefully so that there are no negative consequences. As you can see, this is a very important topic for the health of your children, isn't it?