You only see the outside portion of your ear, but there are actually three parts that work together to collect and make sense of the sounds in your environment. These are the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. By observing certain safety procedures, you can help ensure that your children's ears will stay healthy for many decades to come.
Ear Wax
Your outer ear canal manufactures cerumen, or ear wax, which serves to protect and moisturize the skin of the ear canal, fight infection and prevent debris from entering the eardrum. You can keep your kids' ears clean by gently rubbing the opening with a washcloth when they wash. Cotton swabs can be dangerous when used for ear cleaning, because they can actually push wax deeper into the ear, or even promote infection. If you feel your child has too much ear wax, consult with your pediatrician rather than try to remove it yourself.
Swimmer's Ear
Children who spend lots of time in the pool can sometimes contract an infection of the ear canal, called swimmer's ear or otitis externa, according to the Kids Health website. Swimmer's ear is the result of bacteria growing in the ear canal, and can happen when water exposure washes away the protective coating of earwax, leading to infection. Your doctor may treat the itching and pain caused by swimmer's ear with ear drops or a wick, which acts like a tiny sponge to keep medicine inside the ear. Your child must stay out of the pool until the infection is cleared and the doctor permits her to swim again.
Loud Noises
Loud noises from machinery, traffic, amplified music and even some children's toys can temporarily affect the ability to hear. Over time, exposure to loud noises damages hearing and can lead to permanent hearing loss. You can save your child's hearing by protecting his ears with ear plugs or ear muffs in noisy situations such as sporting events, concerts, parades or fireworks displays.
Foreign Objects
Children, particularly preschool age children, are sometimes tempted to put foreign objects -- perhaps a tiny toy, button, battery or even food -- inside their ears. They may be imitating other children or even an adult who wears earrings or a hearing aid. Never place anything in your own ear, your child's ear or the ear of a friend, as it can be extremely dangerous and lead to permanent hearing damage. Warn you children about this danger as well.
Pierced Ears
Pierced ears require some special care, particularly after they are newly pierced. For the first six weeks after the piercing, leave the posts--which should be stainless steel or 14-karat gold--in your child's earlobes at all times. Keep the earring clasped loosely, as the earlobes may swell somewhat at first. Twice daily, clean both sides of the ear lobe with rubbing alcohol after first washing your hands. Then turn the posts approximately three rotations to prevent the skin from sticking. If your child's pierced ears become red, swollen and painful, she may have an infection and should consult a doctor, according to the Children's Hospital website.
Weather Protection
Keep your child's ears protected from the weather, whether it is cold or hot. The skin on the ears is delicate and can quickly become sunburned, so don't forget to spread sunscreen there. Have your child wear a hat, hood, scarf or earmuffs during the winter, since ears can easily become frostbitten in very cold, windy weather.
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