A child’s hearing and ear health is easy to take for granted, at least until they develop hearing difficulties or ear infections. Any parent who has experienced the discomfort of a child with a middle ear infection will have a heightened understanding of the importance of following a simple routine of preventative ear care. By taking care of your children’s ears, you’ll keep ear infections to a minimum and, ultimately, take care of their hearing – a vital sense in developing early communication skills and growing in a learning environment. Follow these suggestions for happy, healthy-eared children.

Daily ear cleaning

During bath times, it’s important not to neglect cleaning a child’s ears. Because ears are so delicate, you shouldn’t scrub too hard or try to clean inside their ear canals. A simple swipe with a cotton swab or soft washcloth around the outer ear should be sufficient to remove excess dirt, oil and wax. Remember: earwax is not synonymous with dirt. It actually helps keep dirt and debris out of the ear canal, so don’t make it your mission to completely eliminate it.

What not to do

Did we mention you shouldn’t clean inside a child’s ear canals? Yes, but it bears repeating. Some suggest following the rule of inserting nothing smaller than your elbow into your child’s ears, but it’s better to avoid putting anything inside their ears. Besides damaging the eardrum, you could push dirt and wax further into your child’s ears and encourage an infection rather than prevent it.

Secondly, hearing healthcare professionals recommend avoiding the use of ear candles on children. Not only can they be dangerous (open flame near the head, hair, pointy cone, it’s easy to see why), they’re not even helpful.

Also avoid using peroxide cleaners on children’s ears. Mild soap and water (if that) is all you should need.

Cleaning hardened earwax

Sometimes excess earwax can harden and cause pain or interfere with hearing. If you suspect hardened wax, a gentle treatment option is a few drops of skin-temperature mineral or olive oil administered with a dropper. Have your child lie down for a few minutes with the affected ear facing up. When they sit up, the excess wax should drain from the ear.

When to see a professional

If you notice blood or puss in your child’s ears or if they experience a fever, pain or any sudden changes in hearing, take them to a hearing healthcare professional right away for an exam and treatment. Otherwise, following these tips when cleaning your child’s ears should suffice when between routine visits.