ARE YOU CLEANING YOUR BABY’S EAR THE RIGHT WAY .

As parents, we naturally want to keep our baby’s ears clean. Many of us use earbuds, vacuums, and even pins to clean our baby’s ears. However, this approach can do more harm than good. In fact, you’re hurting and damaging the ear. The best way to clean babies ear is to leave it as it is.

But what about hygiene? Won’t the ear fill up with wax and get blocked? Our grandmothers used to put oil in the child’s ear daily to keep it clean. Should we allow the wax to build up and pack the ear?

The truth is, our ears are designed to self-clean. The wax helps protect the ear canal from dust, bacteria, and other foreign particles. By not intervening, we’re allowing the ear to do its job.

So, what’s the best approach? Let’s leave the ear alone and let it work its magic. By doing so, we’ll avoid causing potential harm and let nature take its course

Ear can clean it by itself

The wax that build inside the ear is necessary for the ear. It has antibacterial property that protect the ear drum from outer bacteria, dirts and pollution. With time, ear wax makes its way through the outer ear canal to the opening of the ear. Then it falls out during bathing or sleeping by its own. The ear has little hairs like structure inside the ear canal which helps it move outwards and eventually fall out.

Why you should not clean your toddler and baby’s ear.

• Self cleaning mechanism – Ear wax has a natural self- cleaning mechanism which does not need your help. You can monitor your baby’s ear from outside. Once you will see some ear wax, wait for some weeks and check . You will not find it there as it has already fallen out by itself. You don’t need to take it out with the help of pins and ear buds. Infact using these can eventually push the ear wax inward and block the ear .
• You may damage the ear– Baby’s ear canal is very small. By putting hard object inside, you can eventually damage the eardrum.It can lead to further complications and even permanent hearing loss. By putting extra effort to clean the ear, you will only hinder it’s natural self- defence mechanism.
• Wax are important – wax are natural and necessary. It protects the ear from outer dirts, bacteria and other small particles.

Why we should not put oil inside the ear

Even the doctor prescribe not to put oil inside the ear. Oils are very sticky which will harden the wax . It will disturb the natural cleaning mechanism of ear and will block it. Oil will also make the bacteria to grow inside ear by providing moist. Our ear should be dry and undisturbed. If you are concerned about putting oil inside ear, you can simply massage the outer ear with oil . It will fasten it’s cleaning process.

How to take care of your baby’s ear

• Don’t expose your child to loud noises– Don’t expose your child to loud noise like concert, sports game, DJs, home theatre and large sound boxes of celebrations.compared to adults, children’s ear are more sensitive as it is still developing. Exposure to laud noises can cause permanent hearing loss to children. You can use ear protection and can keep the volume low
• Use earplugs – use earplugs or swim caps while swimming to prevent water from entering the ear. Ear should not be wet for a long time as it create a chance of bacterial growth and infection. Dry the ear thoroughly after swimming
• Gently clean the outer ear– Gently wipe the outer ear after bath with a soft cloth. The outer part of the ear should remain clean . Massaging and cleaning the outer -ear regularly fasten the natural cleaning mechanism of the ear. The best way to clean baby’s ear it to just clean the outer ear with moist soft cloth
• don’t breast feed your baby while lying him down– If you are doing so, elevate your baby’s head with a small soft pillow. Ear, mouth and eyes are interconnected. Milk from the mouth can go to the eustachian tube of the ear and can cause infection.
• Recognise sign of issue – watch for the sign of ear infection such as fever, irritability pr discharge from the ear. If you notice some unusual symptoms , consult your doctor.

DECODING EAR WAX COLOUR

• Orange to brown– orange to brown ear wax represents very old earwax . Darker the ear wax , the more older it is.
• Off While to yellow colour – it represents fresh ear wax .
• Yellow to green – if you see yellow to green colour with foul smell, it indicates runny pis drainage from an ear infection. Seek a doctor’s help immediately.

CONCLUSION

Ear is an important part of the body both for babies and adults . We should have proper knowledge about taking care of the ear .The best way to clean baby’s ear is to leave it as it is and to just clean the outer ear after bathing. Most of the people uses home remedies for the ear without consulting the doctor. Putting anything inside the ear is dangerous. Let’s promote ear care’s education especially in India so that people with such issue can get required proper guidance. In India, especially in rural areas, people often seen using birds feather to scratch their inside ear . They even put different juices of the leaves inside the ear in the name of home remedies and self – treatment. This will only lead to further complications later .