Can Toddlers have their ears syringed?

[Claire2009]

Ds has very very waxy ears. I've been putting Olive Oil in them & cleaning the wax as it comes (Gp's recommendation & Pharmacy gave me Olive oil in a eardrop bottle) but there's still lots coming and in big blobs sometimes.

I had very very waxy ears and had to get them syringed regular from a young age but I can't remember when.

Ds has bad speech, he's had a hearing test & is fine, understands me fine but I am wondering if the waxy ears make his speech slower too?!

He's 2.1yo.

Claire no real advise as in the same boat....did pharmacy need a prescription for olive oil bottle and was it expensive. Do you warm it before hand? If so how.

Am also watching with interest as have ds2 16 months in similar situation.

AFAIK, syringing is mostly discouraged now due the risk of perforating the eardrum. If they think that the wax isn't compacting they probably won't syringe.

depends on your GP surgery, mine don't, (nurses not trained to do kids), so need to be referred to ENT if necessary.

you don't need a prescription for olive oil.

HTH cass.

my dd at 3 had her ears hoovered out because her speech was bad but her hearing was fine this was done at the hospital

I was a practice nurse and we couldn't syringe anyone under 12.

Usually however waxy a child is, it will work it's own way out as long as you don't use cotton buds or try to clean the ear. A cotton bud is the same diameter (or bigger) as an ear canal and will just push the wax back in, not clear it out. That's when it can get impacted, when it is too far in beyond where the muscles of the jaw and face can help clear it out.

Olive oil or sodium bicarbonate drops can soften the wax to help it come out. Children usually only need intervention if they have total blockage and need to be referred to ENT for microsuction - the wax is sucked out with a vacuum rather than flushed out with water (syringed). The GP can refer them.

Also to add you don't need a prescription for olive oil, you can use whatever you've got at home - but don't do what one of my patients did and use the wax from the deep fat frier - I couldn't work out what the black crispy bits coming out of his ears were

Heat the spoon or pot not the oil as oil heats unpredictably and can burn. Buy a dropper or small syringe as it's the easiest way to drip the oil in. Lie the child on their side with the ear facing up, drop in 4 or 5 drops of oil slowly then massage the face where the ear meets the cheek in a sort of dimple. Stay on their side for a few minutes then do the other side. DON'T put cotton wool in to keep the oil in there, it doesn't matter if the oil runs out again (I recommend doing this before bathtime!)

Oops meant the oil from the deep fat frier, not the wax.... Now that would be gross!

Must go to bed, too tired to type properly now...

thanks Sidge...used olive oil a few weeks back but your advice about where to massage will be really useful.