Earwax is important to ear health; it traps dirt, dust and debris before they can reach the eardrum and cause damage. Earwax usually works its way out of the ear on its own and is washed away during showers or baths. When wax fails to travel out of the inner ear and accumulates instead inside the ear canal, it can cause earaches, tinnitus and hearing loss. You can safely remove most wax blockages from a 2-year-old's ears at home.
Step 1
Place warm compresses over your 2-year-old's ears or let her take a long, warm bath. The warmth from the compress or bathwater will encourage the wax to fall out naturally.
Step 2
Clean the outside of your toddler's ear with a wet washcloth to remove any visible earwax. Do not attempt to clean the inside of his ear this way.
Step 3
Soften the wax by administering a couple drops of baby oil or hydrogen peroxide to the ear canal with an eyedropper. Doing this twice a day for up to five days should be sufficient to soften and loosen the wax blockage.
Step 4
Lay your 2-year-old down on a towel on your bed with the affected ear facing up. Pull up and back on her outer ear, and then squeeze a bulb syringe of warm water into her ear canal. This should flush out the softened earwax.
Step 5
Turn your toddler over and allow his ear to drain onto the towel. Any wax inside his ear should fall out with the water. Dry the ear thoroughly when done.
Step 6
Visit your child's pediatrician if you are unable to dislodge your toddler's earwax blockage with an at-home treatment. The pediatrician can flush or scrape the wax from your child's ear to alleviate an earache and restore hearing.
Things You'll Need
- Washcloth
- Baby oil
- Eyedropper
- Large towel
- Bulb syringe
