Children are naturally curious and playful and that is why they must be watched closely.

A woman brought her 5 year old son to the ENT unit because he pushed an orange seed into his ear.

We flushed it out carefully through ear syringing and he was later placed on antibiotics to prevent infection.

Did you know cotton buds were created in the 1920s for cleaning delicate areas on a baby’s body like the nose, the navel and the outer ear only?

Notice I said outer ear and not inside the ear……

Here are a few things many people still get wrong:

⇢ Cotton buds are not meant for cleaning inside the ear canal because they push ear wax deeper, injure the ear and can cause infections. They are only safe for cleaning the outer ear and the nose.

⇢ If your inner ear itches, gently rub the outside. Do not insert anything inside like pen covers, matchsticks or cotton buds.

⇢ Reduce prolonged use of EarPods and avoid loud volume. Loud sound can damage hearing over time.

⇢ If a child complains of ear pain, discharge, itching, reduced hearing, fever or keeps tugging the ear, it may be an infection and needs medical attention.

⇢ If you notice any unusual discharge from your ear, whether smelly or colored, please go to the hospital.

The ear is delicate.

An early intervention can save you from long term problems.

#HealthAwareness #EarCare #HealthContentWriting