I have a five-year-old daughter who absolutely hates it when I start cleaning her ears. Now her ears have hard wax inside, and it becomes even more difficult to clean because it hurts her a lot. What should I do? I have tried using oil, lotion and hydrogen peroxide to soften the wax, but it builds up again after a few weeks. What do you recommend?

A.

Generally I don't recommend cleaning the ear canals, either in adults or children, unless there is a specific problem such as pain or hearing loss. Frequent cleaning, especially with wax-softening agents may actually exacerbate the problem by causing irritation of the skin in the ear canal. Infections of the ear canal may be made worse by the introduction of oil, water or other substances that provide a good medium for bacteria to grow. Serious complications can result if these substances are introduced into the ear canal when there is a perforation of the tympanic membrane. Of course, you should never try to clean the ears with a q-tip or other instrument since you can push the wax further in or perforate the eardrum.

If your daughter is experiencing pain or hearing loss, it would be best to consult a pediatric ear specialist. Excessive ear wax can be quickly and painlessly removed by the doctor with an instrument. The specialist would also be able to determine if there is a reason for the excessive buildup.

If she is not experiencing any ear problems, I would recommend leaving the ears alone and having your pediatrician check them from time to time.

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