Toddler with very waxy ears

[furryelephant]

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the gross picture on a Sunday evening!
DD is 17 months and has really really waxy ears the last few days she seems really upset by them, is pulling them and holding her ears a lot but no temperatures so assuming could be teeth, but does anyone know if this amount of leaky wax is normal? This photo was just after a nap family are saying to take her to the GP so wanted to see if anyone else had toddlers with ears like this as I'm sure they'll say it's fine and send us on our way

I am not a doctor, but you should take your Dd to see one. A build of wax like this is not normal and needs treatment.
Your little one may have an ear infection which could lead to a perforated ear drum

I've taken her multiple times and each time I've just been told that her ear drum isn't perforated and sent on our way hence turning to MN for more opinions was definitely going to be ringing them in the morning again, I know people say that teething can make it seem like they have sore ears but wax literally comes out onto her ear lobe after she's slept

Have you seen the same doctor every time? If so could you see a different doctor at the practice? I’d say that that much wax definitely isn’t usual

I've seen 2 different Doctors and a practice nurse the most recent time I know I'm quite anxious about DDs health anyway so sometimes find it hard to tell whether I'm paranoid or not but it's reassuring to know that it doesn't appear to be normal, she's not slept longer than an hour at a time for days so not even sure if I'm making any sense

One of my DSs produces lots of ear wax, particularly in one of his ears. My Mum was the same. Some people just produce more wax than others and remember that it is there to protect the ear from germs and dirt.

I use some damp cotton wool and clean away the wax which has emerged out of the the inner ear. I don’t use cotton buds to ‘dig around’ more deeply. I would obviously take my DS to the GP if he is experiencing pain in the ear or is having trouble hearing (in my Mum’s case the wax would harden and block the ear canal - my son has never experienced this)

I think some children are just very waxy. My DD's ears look exactly like that - has done from being about 12 months, she's 3.4 now and still the same. Doesn't seem to bother her. I clean the excess with a cotton bud (without putting the cotton bud into the actual ear canal - just wipe gently around the outside). The GP has seen her and isn't concerned although agreed it was unusual.

Oh noo I would be in there with tweezers... definitely take her to gp she might need them syringed

My 11 month old is the same- I have to clean her outer ear every day.
Gp said that some people just produce more wax than others.

Oh I'm glad to hear some other children are the same! No one in my family have waxy ears so it's completely new to me! She gets upset and tries to run off when I try and clean her ears bless her, nothing more id like than to give them a proper clean

My ds was same since being a baby. He is 3 now. Seems normal but has had ear infection issues. Actually he looks like he has another one as now pus coming out of his ear so docs tomorrow it is.

Both of my DS have incredibly waxy ears, just like my DH. One of them gets smelly when it is really bad, yuck!

My ds is 2 and has very waxy ears always has so kids just produce more than others

Dd2 gets bad wax in 1 ear - audiologist recommends olive oil drops for 10 days-2 weeks to clear it.

Olive oil, if you warm it up (I just put a slim bottle of oil in a mug of hot water) it's not such a shock.

Increase fluid intake, can be a sign of dehydration.

I’d love to know a solution to this, not just ‘it’s how some kids are’. DS is 6 and has always been like this. It’s not okay the older he gets. Every holiday, or every couple of weeks of swimming lessons, or every couple of weeks if he submerges his head in the bath, water gets trapped behind the wax and either he’s driven mad by watery ears or else an infection then ensues from the stagnant water.

He’s had antibiotics 8 times in 12 months. This is not a solution!!

I’ve pursued it with the senior nurse practitioner and the gp. I’ve asked for an ENT referral on the basis that they won’t syringe any more; refused. I’ve offered to go privately and have them microsuctioned (no private practice will touch him before adulthood without a GP referral, which I can’t get).

Constantly I am told ‘warm olive oil’ which dropped nightly for weeks on end also does absolutely bugger all.

I’d love to also know how to get over this!!!

Dd2 was like this at that age. Just like your picture.
I just went at them with a cotton bud (very carefully, not poking into the ear canal, just the bits on the outside which could easily be swiped away, fgs don't go digging or do it if she might wriggle).
She grew out of it.
It is interesting you suggest it is bothering her as it definitely never bothered my DD- was just one of those toddler things. Personally if you have been to the doctor about it multiple times, I would leave it unless she is showing signs of infection (which you would know about as it's bloody painful).

It's hard to tell whether it could be an ear infection or her teeth, she's grumpy as hell and not eating a lot, definitely seems happier after some ibuprofen too
It's funny that you've been given advice to use olive oil! Both Doctors I'd seen said a strict no to putting anything in her ears whatsoever and said to try and prevent her getting any water in there at all

Alabasterangel6 my DD is nearly 2 and we have the exact same issue, to the point where I can’t wash her hair properly as it causes so much trouble with her ears!
They are always waxy and grotty, she’s had so many infections but the doctors aren’t interested.
I just clean the outside with a cotton bud, and a flannel for when they are really bad but they always smell damp inside her ear.

@Alabasterangel6
I take my son my micro suction twice a year and have never been asked for a GP letter. It's painless although expensive. Sorts out wax a treat.

Since he was 5. As long as they'll lie still.

My lo has had something similar where one day his ear had all this dark orange gunk in it (it also smelt funky). It turned out that he'd had an ear infection and I hadn't realised and his eardrum had perforated and that's when the orange gunk came out. If you google it, there are lots of images to compare to.

I wouldn't dismiss it as just wax/normal for her since it seems like she's in pain. I'm inclined to think there's something else going on and she needs a second opinion.

Mine wee girl has waxy and "extremely hairy" ears according to the pharmacist. It led to her failing all the hearing tests and the audiologist told us to use sodium bicarbonate drops. About £2-3 in Boots. Work like a charm.