How to clean a baby’s ears to safely remove wax

Even if a baby or young child has a lot of visible earwax, doctors warn against cleaning ear canals with cotton swabs or inserting other objects into the ear.

This warning makes a lot of sense. It is very difficult for parents to judge how far they are going with the swab. In addition, the child may jerk and the cotton may accidentally get stuck in the ear canal.

Why is it bad to use ear buds?

Injuries caused by ear swabs are more frequent than is believed. Many children end up in the ER because of it. A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that over 21 years (1990-2010) in the United States, more than 263,000 children had to be treated in the emergency room for ear injuries caused by cotton buds.

That equates to about 12,500 injuries a year or about 34 injuries a day. Most of these occurred when using cotton swabs to clean the ears (73%). Other injuries occurred from playing with cotton swabs or when children fell while having a swab in their ear.

Most injuries occurred when the children themselves used the cotton swabs to clean themselves (77%), followed by use of the swab by a parent or sibling. Nearly half of the injuries were suffered by children under the age of three.

The most common consequences included a foreign body sensation in the ear (30%), eardrum perforation (25%) and soft tissue injuries (23%).

What are cotton swabs used for?

The possibility of an accident occurring is not the only problem with the swab. It’s not really the best for cleaning an ear. When using it, there is a risk that instead of removing the wax, it will be pushed deeper into the ear canal.

The wax can form a hard plug in front of the eardrum, which can cause hearing problems. The middle ear will also be poorly ventilated and infections can develop.

Cotton swabs can also damage the delicate hairs in the ear canal that are used to remove earwax. In the worst case, the paper-thin eardrum can be injured. Damage to the inner ear can cause dizziness, balance problems, and irreversible hearing loss.

Are baby safety cotton swabs safe?

In principle, yes. But they are also only suitable for the outer area of ​​the ear. The safety thickening of the cotton ensures that the toothpick will not enter the ear canal unless a lot of force is applied. But to clean the external auricle, you can use a gauze pad or a washcloth.

How to clean the ear with gauze or a wipe

Gently washing the outer ear and the most visible part of the auricle with lukewarm water is sufficient.

To do this, you can use the tip of a hand towel or gauze pad. Soap is not necessary. Water should not get into the ear.

On the other hand, during the daily care of the baby, pay special attention to the skin behind the ears. Dirt, saliva or milk residue sometimes accumulates in the folds between the ear and the scalp. Dry this area carefully and completely after washing. Too much moisture irritates delicate skin, turning it red or flaky.

Remove baby’s earwax with a tissue

It is not necessary to remove earwax, as it performs very important functions: keeps the ear canals clean and the ear healthy. The slightly sticky mass binds small particles like dust and dead skin. With the help of the fine hairs in the ear canal, it ensures that dirt is transported out of the ear.

Also helps ensure that the eardrum always remains evenly moist.

Together with the hairs in the external auditory canal, it prevents insects and dirt particles from reaching the inside of the ear and attacking the eardrum.

In addition, earwax forms a natural protective layer against invading bacteria and fungi.

Is it true that the ear cleans itself?

Yes. The ear canal that leads to the eardrum and middle ear cleans itself. The exceptions are people with particularly tortuous ear canals, swimmers, or sometimes the elderly.

Anyone who is uncomfortable with wax in the ear canal should see a doctor for professional cleaning.