How to clean the ears of your baby

Recommended method for cleaning and hygiene of your baby”s ears

Have you ever tried to clean your baby”s ears with a cotton swab? Well, if you”ve done it, you shouldn”t repeat it. It is not necessary to clean the ears of the baby. The wax that forms in the cavity of the ears of the child has the function of protecting the external channel against foreign elements such as dust, moisture and bacteria, and therefore cannot be removed. The only thing that can be cleaned is the outer part of the ears, carefully, and during the bath.

What should be cleaned in the baby”s ears

The ears of babies, especially newborns, are very delicate. They can produce some earwax (wax), a yellowish sticky substance, but that does not mean that the ear is dirty. The only thing you can clean is the outer part of the ears, nothing more. Even so you should do it very carefully, preferably during the bath, using a wipe, damp cloth or swabs, always with outward movements.

In no case, use sticks, forks, pencil tips or any other elongated object. You should never try to remove the wax from the baby”s ear by inserting any object, not even cotton swabs.

If you try to remove the wax from the baby”s ear, that may cause the opposite effect. Instead of removing the wax, you may end up pushing it into the ear, causing a wax plug. Apart from that, if you introduce an elongated object, you will take the risk that it may damage the eardrum, with a simple unexpected movement of the baby. In the routine medical check-up, the pediatrician will also check the condition of the baby”s ears.

The mother or father, at the time of the baby”s bath, can also observe some details. If you observe that the consistency of the wax is fine and yellowish, as it should be, there is no problem. But if you notice that the substance changes and its color and texture vary, you should go to the pediatrician, without trying to remove it. Only he can tell if there is any problem, or diagnose a possible childhood otitis.

The baby should also be taken to the pediatrician if you notice that the child is complaining of pain or itching, or if a beep or ringing is heard from your ear. Apart from that, there are babies who, due to a cold, flu or other infection, present a strange discharge in the ear, and that is also reason enough to take it to the doctor.

4 care to take with the ears during the baby”s bath

The bath is the best time to clean the baby”s ears. But it is also the moment that we should be more careful with our little one”s ears.

1. Be careful not to let water fall into the baby”s ears, especially when washing the head.
2. To wash the head, it is best to move the baby”s head to prevent water from entering the ear.
3. If you notice that some water has remained in the ear bud, that is, at the entrance of the ear, dry it carefully, with a cotton towel.
4. If the swabs are used, it is best to hold the baby”s head sideways, turn the swab into the holes in the ear, always from the inside out.