Here's how you should clean your baby's ear

Contrary to the popular practice of maintaining overall hygiene, you do not need to clean your little one's ears every day. Follow a basic cleaning routine once a week or once in a fortnight.

Written By: Kristina Das | Updated : October 27, 2018 10:42 PM IST

Mild ear wax build up is natural and required as it protects the eardrums from bacteria and dust. It keeps the foreign bodies out. Mild to a moderate build up of ear wax cannot damage your baby's ears in any way. Dr. K Ramalingam, Director, Department of Paediatrics, Fortis Hospital, Noida shares some tips on keeping your little one's ears clean:

Contrary to the popular practice of maintaining overall hygiene, you do not need to clean your little one's ears every day. Follow a basic cleaning routine once a week or once in a fortnight. Also, one of the biggest mistakes people make is following age-old home remedies which may lead to more damage than good for your baby. If you have ever been suggested to put a few drops of warm oil in your little one's ears, do not practice it. The warm oil can damage the eardrums and internal parts of the ears.

How to clean your baby's ears:

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For regular cleaning, use a washcloth dipped in warm water and clean only the outer cavity. Do not try to push the washcloth inside.
Use earbuds only if there is wax impaction on the inner wall of the ear.
Simple sterile the earbuds before cleaning the baby ears.
Ear drops can be used to hydrate the ears which could be followed by the cleaning with sterile earbuds or washcloth.
Put the ear drops when the baby is lying still. After 5-7 minutes, the wax will run out to the outer ear and can be cleaned gently with a washcloth.
Using an earbud at this stage might push the wax inside.

When should you consult a doctor to clean the ear wax in the case of babies?

Dr Ramalingam suggests that since excess wax deposits do not appear in case of babies, you need not panic. However, if you observe any kind of discharge from the ears, itching or sudden deafness, you are advised to visit the doctor.