Earwax is usually soft and comes out easily on its own. However, some of the child's earwax is dry and hard, Bun. If left unchecked, the earwax can accumulate and clog the baby's ear canal. you know.
Earwax or cerumen is produced by glands in the ear canal. This wax is divided into two types, namely wet and dry earwax. Even though the name is dirt, this thing actually has an important role.
Earwax serves to lubricate the ear canal, prevent the growth of bacteria in the ear, and protect the hearing organ from foreign objects that enter the ear.
Earwax generally has a soft texture and easily comes out of the ear by itself. However, some people have earwax that is hard and dry, so that it easily accumulates and clogs the ear canal.
Impact of Dry and Hard Earwax on Children
The texture and amount of earwax produced varies from person to person. Generally, this earwax does not need to be cleaned regularly, because it can move and come out by itself.
However, dry and hardened earwax can sometimes be difficult to move out of the ear. On the other hand, eustachian tube Children's ears also have not developed optimally and are shorter in shape than adults.
For this reason, it is easy for dirt to get trapped in a child's ear canal and eventually accumulate. This condition is medically known as cerumen prop.
Piles of earwax can clog a child's ear canal and cause complaints, such as itchy or painful ears, fullness of the ears, and difficulty hearing.
As a result, these complaints make children often insert their fingers and scratch their ears or use cotton bud to remove hard earwax and block the ear canal.
Both of these methods are actually not a good way because they can actually cause dirt to get deeper into the ear canal and get stuck and can't go anywhere. Earwax that accumulates over time can also increase the risk of a child getting an ear infection or otitis media.
This is how to deal with dry and hard child earwax
To deal with dry and hard earwax in your little one, you can use a solution of salt water (saline solution), olive oil, or special ear drops for children. These ear drops usually contain several ingredients, such as mineral oil, acetic acid, or hydrogen peroxide.
Children's ear drops can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies or with a doctor's prescription. How to use it is to drip or spray the liquid medicine into the little one's ear canal, then leave it for a while until the earwax is soft and comes out on its own.
For more details, here is a guide to cleaning dry and hard ear wax in children using ear drops:
- Wash your hands before handling ear drops.
- Gently shake the medicine bottle.
- Don't directly put the tip of the pipette on your little one's ear because it can cause germs to stick to the pipette.
- Tilt your little one's head, then pull and hold the earlobe when you want to drip the medicine.
- Gently press the dropper and drop the medication on the ear to be treated.
- Tilt your little one's ear a few moments after the medicine enters his ear.
Less earwax can soften and come out faster. However, to soften earwax that has accumulated, it usually takes longer.
Therefore, make sure you use ear drops regularly and according to the dosage listed on the product packaging, yes.
After reading the information above, actually dry and hard earwax is not something you should worry about. The above methods are generally effective in softening the child's hard earwax and making it come out of the ear.
However, if dry and hard earwax has accumulated too much, especially if your little one is already experiencing ear pain, hearing loss, fever, fussiness, or difficulty eating, you should take your little one to the doctor for appropriate treatment.