How are you supposed to clean out children's ears now?

[BertieBotts]

I know you aren't supposed to use cotton buds any more, but that's what I always use on my ears. But DS has been struggling to hear things recently and I think it's a build up of wax.

I know you can get drops, but how do these work with a wriggly toddler?

I still use cotton buds but just dont insert them too far into the ear canal

I would get the gp to have a look in his ears. Ear canals are self cleaning and certainly do not need cotton buds in them - very unsafe.

I do it myself as I have itchy wet ears from chronic hay fever but know its wrong !

I still use buds.Just outside and will go bit inside.You can use tip of the towel rolled between the thumb and index finger.But I find it difficult with my son.

I wouldn't put cotton buds anywhere near. They shove the wax down further and if a child wriggles you can't be sure you're not going too far. It's really easy to damage the ear canal. A nice deep warm bath with your toddler may help soften up the wax, and you could then try the corner of a baby wet wipe rolled into a tip. If this doesn't work, perhaps you could float a miniature bottle of olive oil in the bathwater (so warm but not hot) and then apply a few drops by pipette to soften the wax? (I know this is ok for adults but have not checked if it is ok for babies).

Thanks for the suggestions. Actually I think it's probably a cold because I've got blocked ears now too, so I'll give it a while and if it doesn't improve then I will take him to the GP. I don't want to mess around in there really.

You used to be able to get safety ear buds, but I always thought they would just push wax in, safely.

I did remove a big lump of visible wax from my big boys ear recently using the tip of a pencil I happened to be holding. I felt like a surgeon, and don't advise this. Although it was very satisfying.

I have been told to use a couple of drops of warmed olive oil in my DD's ears.I bought a little pipette bottle from the chemists for this purpose.

I think that you are not supposed to do this if the eardrum is, or could be, perforated though.

Cotton buds can compact the wax and cause further problems,so I am told.

Warme olive oil. Nothing smaller than your elbow should go in your ear, my dad is an ENT surgeon, that's his motto :)

If they've had a cold, it might be an ear infection, do best to talk to gp and let them have a look in the ear just to check. Untreated ear infections can e problematic.