School run ear wax

[Mrmialoat]

Everyday at pick up I see two siblings who have visible ear wax, there is so much of it that it’s easily visible on the outside of the ear and around it. I’ve heard a few kids commenting that it’s gross. Aibu to think the parents should address this and that it’s not normal or nice for their kids. (Primary school aged kids).

Ear wax isn’t dirty.

I genuinely can't remember ever seeing ear wax on anyone, young or old. Never had to actively clean it off myself or my child, that I can remember.

So to be honest if I saw this I would assume that there was a reasonable explanation I wasn't aware of. For example that the kids had some kind of health condition that was leading to a constant secretion, perhaps to the extent that repeatedly cleaning it off was causing skin irritation? Or maybe there is some co-morbidity going on, and removing it causes sensory issues for the kids? I dunno, these explanations possibly sound stupid.....

And maybe I am just being naive. But I wouldn't leap to neglect - I'd probably assume there was an underlying cause I didn't understand.

(Though to be fair, if that was the case someone would probably have heard of it and have mentioned it on the thread by now).

Hope it's not neglect, obviously. Though hoping it's down to some health issues doesn't sound great either.....:(

Or just weird parents too busy to notice!

https://amzn.eu/d/0ekLF0GX

This was it.

how Do you know they don’t have a medical condition?
It’s none of your business. I’d be more concerned if they were dirty.

I used to hate it when children came to school in uniform covered in yesterday's dinner, or the week before's! There'd be children who had dreadfully runny noses and the snot would have dried and caked onto their face.
I used to have soap, nail brushes, flannels etc to clean them up and the school kitchen would sometimes run a wash of sweatshirts through for us.
OP, I'd mention it to the DSL at school - just say that you're sure they've picked it up but several other parents have noticed it and children are commenting on it. It's up to them then what to do next.

We have kids in our school like this. The Dad is blind. The Mum is very odd, I dont know how else to describe her 🙈 I haven't addressed it with the school. Its all outside their ears, its absolutely gross

When my son was waiting for tonsillectomy his ears produced an alarming amount of wax. I'd be cleaning tons out every single afternoon and definitely worried about him best the gross earwax kid. But it literally poured out of them. Saw Dr who advised it was all his tubes blocked up but not clean other than taking off what came out of the canal. No cotton buds or syringing or whatever. He has a bath 6/7 evenings ( often Friday nights he's exhausted so goes to bed and showers in the morning) and it's gone and by evening again crusted up. Since his tonsils came out he rarely has visible wax, we still wipe round his ear canal to take any visible wax off but it maybe has a small beige wipe every week where pre tonsillectomy I can't even describe the spoonfuls of wax daily. Just saying. May not be negkect

It is advised NOT to spray water into your ear as it can make you prone to ear infections i.e. swimmers ear.
Instead, olive oil drops can be used to soften the wax and then any excess can gently be wiped away with a clean cloth.

My husband has problems with ear wax and I'm sure the leaflet he was given from the ear clinic said waxy ears are usually perfectly healthy but it can be a problem when the wax is impacted from using cotton buds etc.

Aw bless. That is very heartbreaking that there are so many kids like that in your school.

i’d assume it’s a medical thing with the wax. Are they clean and fairly well presented otherwise OP?

Well this thread is a depressing read. My DS gets crusty, waxy looking ears during an eczema flare up. He's very self conscious about it and now I'm worried people think I am neglecting him when they see his ears 😥

Gosh I must lead a sheltered life but I think this would break my heart 😢

This is so sad especially if it's the majority of pupils. I don't understand why people can't take basic care of their children.

One of my kids would get really waxy ears when little and sometimes would wake up with some down the side of her face like next to her ear. We’d clean it up. it does seem bad they’ve let them go to school like that.

And what do you think the medical advice would be? Probably to leave alone if not causing a problem. You aren't supposed to put cotton buds in ears etc.

Whilst I would probably think a very careful wipe of the visible stuff is advisable, it's probably easier said than done.

Perhaps just leave this situation alone.

If you're cleaning them every day then I'm sure they're not noticeable to anyone else!

Some people just have waxy ears. My 2yo I have to wipe his ears daily as always has visible wax when he wakes up, some days it’s on the side of his face etc. - all normal and checked thoroughly by docs. I have the same issue and get an ear infection roughly once a month so think he’s inherited his gubby ears from me! I’d hate for people to think I’m neglectful, as per some of the above posters forgetting just one day of wiping his ears would lead some to think that way.

My daughter has waxy ears often, as do I as I have narrow ear canals. Microsuction places aren’t allowed to carry it out on under 16s. I wouldn’t use the cotton buds or a home machine myself as you can make it so much worse. Olive oil is all you really have to be honest. Ears are very delicate. My daughter is not neglected.

Please don't feel worried on the basis of this thread. Most people are logical enough to realise they have never had to clean visible wax from their ears, and that the presence of it is therefore an indication of a medical condition, not neglect.

Both my kids have waxy ears. I’ve never suffered but their dad does! Both hate having their ears wiped but I do wipe them (outside of ear only) if I see if. Get fully bathed everyday and ears cleaned regularly, they just literally make a lot of wax!

You would hope so but Im amazed at the comments on this thread.

Its well known that dodgy ears can produce a huge amount of wax

When my wisdom teeth were coming through I had insanely waxy ears. Whenever DS is congested he gets horribly waxy ears, I wipe it off but it comes back very quick. Some people are just waxy.

I suppose the childs ears could be cleaned before they go to school. This is what my nan told me to do as a foster child. Everyting was done before school. Nan would lick her thumb and start brushing my eye brows.

I remember kids at school with waxy ears and it did really make me feel ill as a child seeing dirty ears. This I was always really on top of cleaning my kid’s ears (and keeping fingernails short and clean) In my experience you don’t give potential bullies any ammunition.

its is so very sad. we were very poor but were thoroughly clean