Earwax is a natural substance in the ear canal. It serves several purposes and should not be removed from a child's ear unless it is causing her to be in pain or have trouble hearing. Even though excess wax may look yucky in your child's ear, resist the urge to clean it out with a cotton swab.
Identification
Earwax, as described by Children's Medical Center, is technically called "cerumen." Sebaceous glands in the ear canal produce the wax, which combines with hair and dead skin cells that have sloughed off the skin in the ear, according to AskDrSears.com.
Function
Earwax creates a waterproof liner for the ear canal, says KidsHealth. The sticky wax traps particles that enter the ear, such as dust and dirt, protecting the ear from irritation or injury. The wax naturally moves toward the outer ear, where it typically falls out or is washed off during a shower or bath.
Home Removal of Wax
KidsHealth warns parents against trying to remove earwax unless it is causing pain or discomfort. If a lot of wax is showing near the outer ear, it is safe to wipe it away with a damp cloth, but if that doesn't work, AskDrSears.com recommends the following procedure for removing earwax at home: Have the child lay down with his head on a small pillow, plugged-up ear facing up. In a small bottle, combine half hydrogen peroxide and half water. Warm it slightly in your hand, and then place enough drops into the ear canal that it fills up with liquid. Turn on the television or read to your child to help him hold still for about five minutes, and then have him sit up with a towel pressed against his ear to absorb the liquid as it runs out. Repeat this process one time a day for a few days, and then use a bulb syringe to squirt lukewarm water into the ear to flush out the excess wax. Dr. Sears says that the bulb syringe cannot create enough pressure to injure a child's ear, so squeeze firmly when flushing the ears. Look for small chunks of wax, and if you don't see any, use the hydrogen peroxide and water ear drops for a few more days and then try flushing the ear again.
Medical Removal of Wax
If earwax continues to cause trouble--such as ringing in the ears, trouble hearing, pain or itching--and home removal does not work, bring the child to a doctor. A doctor may choose to remove the wax so she can get a better view of the child's eardrum or to cut the risk of infection from impacted wax, says Dr. Roland, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Children's Medical Center. To remove the wax, a doctor may scoop it out with a tool that is shaped like a small spoon, or she may opt to irrigate the ear with solutions designed to dissolve the wax.
Warnings
St. John Providence Health System advises against placing a cotton swab or paper clip into the ear canal--two common home remedies that are actually unsafe--because the wax may become packed even more tightly into the ear, pressing the dirt and other particles closer to the eardrum. Wax that is compacted can eventually cause a hard "plug" that may cause infections, swelling and pain.
Ear symptoms that require a visit to the doctor, according to St. John Providence, include trouble hearing; outer-ear itching; discharge that is white, yellow or bloody; sharp pain in the ear, especially if fever is present as well; or the child's report of hearing noises in his ear.
