Do you clean your child's ears?

[tny915]

If you answered yes, what's your method?

Our ped has cleaned DD's ears when she needs to if she wants to get a better look at things. I've asked her if we need to be cleaning them ourselves, and she's said no. Our ped's in her 30's, so on the younger side.

I brought DD in to see another ped in the practice today, an older gentleman probably in his 50's. He said he noticed some buildup in DD's ears and told me to use OTC ear drops, although I can't recall the brand.

So I've got conflicting info from the same practice. Would this be due to old-fashioned vs newer schooling? My parents always cleaned my ears when I was young, and they used cotton swabs, ear drops, and those water and pan drainage things--I hated it every time. I always considered the ears a self-cleaning apparatus, so I never felt the need to get involved with them in DD's case.

What do you do?

[JulieL]

there are special q-tips for little ones. we use those when we see obvious buildup.

nak

[Tondi G]

I voted yes but only when I see wax kinda built up at the opening of the canal.... just to clear that yucky lookin stuff. I never put the q-tip into their canal and don't use any oil or ear drops.

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01 and Aidan 5/4/05

[writermama]

We clean the outside of DD's ears with a washcloth wrapped around a fingertip, but we leave the inside alone. Ped always says her ears look beautiful.

[jillc]

Hi there. :)

Yep, we do. We just use a Q-tip, gently & carefully, after her bath. Nothing elaborate. :)

If we skip a couple days for some reason, I always notice that I can see earwax when I'm sitting next to DD, looking at her ear. Yuck.

[crayonblue]

Yes, we clean ears with a washcloth wrapped around finger.

[elliput]

A mixture of hydrogen perioxide and water will loosen up the wax if there is major build up. I use either a bulb syringe or a drenched washclothe to get the mixture in the ear. Normally just making sure I get some bath water in DD's ears does the trip though.

[lisams]

Gosh, I've always heard (and thought, but could very well be wrong!!)that they now don't recommend it because it pushes wax back further and it can be dangerous with a squirmy baby/toddler. We never have and her ped. has never said anything about wax build-up. She's never had an ear infection, if that means anything.

I do clean the outside of her ears and the opening area during bath time with a finger over a wash cloth, if that counts?

[overcome]

Mia has very waxy ears (runs in the family) and I frequently see wax build up. My ped (I take everything with a grain of salt that she says) suggested debrox 1x a week just to keep the wax from building up.

I hate debrox but so far DD hasn't minded.

I'm glad to hear others use a qtip. I too have heard you shouldn't stick anything in their ear b/c it can push it in but I only use them when the wax is **right there**. I can't stand to see it there...I HAVE to get it out.

HTH

[HHCs Mom]

Just at bathtime with the washcloth over my finger. DS has waxy ears as well so they need to be 'wiped out' daily. But just the part that you can get to easily, we don't use q-tips or anything like that.
Kim
~ mama to a sweet boy named Harrison ~ 4.6.04