No parent ever wants to see their child uncomfortable or in pain. Ear infections are extremely common in children under the age of five and harder to diagnose, as small children have trouble accurately describing their symptoms. When your baby or small child starts to have some excessive earwax buildup, you may start to panic. Learn when you can handle it yourself and when to see a pediatrician about excessive earwax buildup.
YOUR CHILD HAS EAR PAIN
If your child expresses they’re experiencing ear pain, take them in to see a pediatrician about excessive wax buildup. If your child is too young to express what’s bothering them, pay close attention for signs that they’re in pain due to excessive earwax. This could be your baby crying and grabbing or scratching at their ears. Young children cannot yet accurately describe what’s bothering them or how severe the pain is. This is up to you to decide based on their behavior and their typical reactions to pain.
SOMETHING OTHER THAN EARWAX IS COMING FROM YOUR CHILD’S EARS
If green or yellow pus is starting to come out of your child’s ears, then it’s time to see a pediatrician urgently. This is a sign of an infection that requires prompt treatment, as it may cause extreme discomfort for your child. Do not attempt to remove earwax from your child’s ears if discolored pus is coming from the ears—this can cause further damage.
YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE OR UNSURE HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CHILD’S EARS
Some children naturally produce more earwax than normal, and you may need to clean it. If you want to clean your child’s ears yourself, it’s best to invest in a high-quality, safe earwax removal kit for babies. This way, you can clean their ears without worry of injuring them or damaging their eardrums. If you’re still uncomfortable or unsure of how to best clean your child’s ears, take them in to a pediatrician and let the doctor show you how or complete the task themselves.