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Original poster

What’s this in my child’s ear?!

272 replies

Mummyto3derby · 26/02/2025 19:10

Hi, so I’m freaking out! I was doing regular bath time and cleaning my son’s ears out and noticed this circle in his ear that looked like it was reflecting in the light!
not sure what to do!

What’s this in my child’s ear?!
OP posts:
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Darkclothes · 26/02/2025 22:12

When my friend was about 3, her earring went missing.

As a teen, she had a terrible cold and when she blew her nose- out came the earring that she must have shoved up there years earlier! 😮

SylviasShoes · 26/02/2025 22:13

I'm wondering how long this thread will keep going before new posters read ALL by the OP.

The situation has been resolved.

It was ear wax.

I think photographs can make things appear very different to the reality.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 26/02/2025 22:16

Onlyvisiting · 26/02/2025 22:11

I'd want to be very sure it wasn't something like an earring with a hook on first though......
And ears are tiny and children wiggly, it would be so easy to accidentally push whatever it is further in. Just not worth the risk IMO.

Show quote history

100% this. ^

NewMe2024 · 26/02/2025 22:18

Darkclothes · 26/02/2025 22:12

When my friend was about 3, her earring went missing.

As a teen, she had a terrible cold and when she blew her nose- out came the earring that she must have shoved up there years earlier! 😮

Nooooo!

meganna · 26/02/2025 22:19

LovelyDayInnit · 26/02/2025 21:58

Those saying A&E is unnecessary... That's where we were sent when my daughter put a tiny piece of plastic into her ear. She came pretty close to having a general anaesthetic as even after multiple attempts, they couldn't get it out. When they did manage to remove it, her ear canal was bleeding and she was screaming because it hurt. Sometimes the hospital is the right place for a foreign body in the ear!

A&E often isn't the best place though, an audiologist or ENT nurse would be far more adept at getting a foreign body out than an average A&E doctor and have the correct tools and means of removal like irrigation or microsuction machine, and do this several times week. I have removed many a foreign body that minor injuries and GPs couldn't (or wouldn't) remove, and for any more serious I would advise ENT casualty as opposed to general A&E.

JoyfulSpring · 26/02/2025 22:19

I also could see it was wax as I've watched a billion wax removal videos on YouTube coz I'm weird and it's very common to get a hard ball of shiny dark earwax. He probably can't hear very well with it though but glad that's all it was.

YourHappyJadeEagle · 26/02/2025 22:20

chattyness · 26/02/2025 19:16

It looks like one of those little round flat batteries like you get in key fobs, the picture isn't very clear on my screen though

That’s what it looks like to me.
I’d call 111, you don’t want that leaking. Phew, it’s ear wax. Those tiny batteries freak me out, my dog eats everything so if one was dropped….

Thereislightattheendofthetunnel · 26/02/2025 22:22

I can’t believe they didn’t take it out despite being there and looking with an othoscope. That is appalling.

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 26/02/2025 22:22

YourHappyJadeEagle · 26/02/2025 22:20

That’s what it looks like to me.
I’d call 111, you don’t want that leaking. Phew, it’s ear wax. Those tiny batteries freak me out, my dog eats everything so if one was dropped….

Edited
Show quote history

OP has already been to A & E and is home. It was a chunk of ear wax.

.

avillage · 26/02/2025 22:25

my daughter once had a pea size dried wax come out of her ear. This is despite us making sure that she had clean ears. She had glued ears and the olive oil didn't work. We were given those sodium bicarbonate drops that sizzle the wax and soften it. In the end we ended up using cotton buds along with the drop as the wax was just not coming out. Poor kid was speaking so loudly and we just thought she was being hyper.

Rumpoleoftheballet · 26/02/2025 22:26

Looks like both sides of a metal clothing popper stuck together.

JoyfulSpring · 26/02/2025 22:27

Thereislightattheendofthetunnel · 26/02/2025 22:22

I can’t believe they didn’t take it out despite being there and looking with an othoscope. That is appalling.

It is unlikely to have come out easily. It'll probably be hardened and would need some treatment with drops to soften it first. If you're still reading the thread OP did they suggest a trip to the GP for drops? It will be affecting his hearing.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/02/2025 22:29

Mind you I had a moth stuck right the way into my ear canal last year that even medics irrigating my ear couldn't remove. After 2 days I couldn't stand it any more and managed to poke it out myself. So maybe I am a bit overly gung ho

A MOTH - I am off this thread , I am beyond traumatised Shock

Thisismetooaswell · 26/02/2025 22:37

I would have expected them to remove it. But as they didn't, olive oil drops are best for softening it before you can remove

pompey38 · 26/02/2025 22:39

Mummyto3derby · 26/02/2025 19:10

Hi, so I’m freaking out! I was doing regular bath time and cleaning my son’s ears out and noticed this circle in his ear that looked like it was reflecting in the light!
not sure what to do!

It’s a battery, get the tweezers looks like it can be pulled out gently

BMW6 · 26/02/2025 22:41

My local Lloyds Pharmacy does earwax removal.
I'd take her to one and get.it removed.

BMW6 · 26/02/2025 22:41

pompey38 · 26/02/2025 22:39

It’s a battery, get the tweezers looks like it can be pulled out gently

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You're behind the times. It's earwax.

Raynexxbow · 26/02/2025 22:42

Eww people say don't clean out children's ears, then they send gaston with earwax dripping out of his sides and nobody wants to be his friend

Raynexxbow · 26/02/2025 22:43

pinkstripeycat · 26/02/2025 21:14

Have you got a strong magnet you could try and use?

Lol

Mosaic123 · 26/02/2025 22:49

The small spring from a biro perhaps?

PandaTime · 26/02/2025 22:49

pompey38 · 26/02/2025 22:39

It’s a battery, get the tweezers looks like it can be pulled out gently

Show quote history

You said it with such confidence!

FrangipaniBlue · 26/02/2025 22:51

People need to stop suggesting tweezers!!

Many years ago DS shoved a tiny flat square bit of wood up his nose.

First stop minor injuries - nurse tried to grab it with tweezers, they slipped and it went further in. Sent us to A&E 20 miles up the road.

A&E Dr (after a nurse proclaimed she wasn't attempting it) tried "better tweezers". Yep. Slipped and went further in still. Sent us to ENT at larger hospital 40 miles away.

ENT nurse - I think he's going to need a GA to knock him out to get that it's soooo far up!

ENT Consultant - uses fancy tool designed specifically for the job and had it out in 5 seconds.

His closing comment "for the love of god I wish people would stop trying to get small objects out of children's ears and noses with tweezers, it would save a hell of a lot of my time!"

Yeah. Mine too mate.

10 hours, 3 hospitals, 3 nurses, a Dr and a consultant. Don't even want to know how much that cost the NHS Confused

JoyfulSpring · 26/02/2025 22:51

Mosaic123 · 26/02/2025 22:49

The small spring from a biro perhaps?

Ffs 😂

ChompandaGrazia · 26/02/2025 22:54

Mosaic123 · 26/02/2025 22:49

The small spring from a biro perhaps?

Do catch up, it was the Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

user1492757084 · 26/02/2025 22:55

Go to the Chemist and ask for some ear drops that soften ear wax, suitable for a child. Use as directed for about four days and confer whether then visiting your GP for a squirt out or just lying down in the bath every bath time would remove it.
The hardened wax could be affecting his hearing.