Have you recently taken your little one to get tubes in their ears? Congratulations, it's a great way to ensure proper hearing development! However, with every medical procedure comes some aftercare. One of the most essential parts of post-tube care is cleaning your baby's ears.
Don't know how or where to start? Fear not, because we've got all the information you need in this article.
Understanding Why Ear Cleaning Is Important
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty details of ear cleaning after getting tubes, let's discuss why it matters in the first place. When children receive ear tubes, they create an opening between their middle ear and outer canal. This hole provides better ventilation and drainage for fluids that might build up behind their eardrum.
However, because there is now an open pathway for debris to enter your child's middle ear -antibiotics may sometimes also be prescribed- so cleaning becomes necessary. Failing to clean your infant’s ears frequently can cause infections that will require additional medical interventions coupled with emotional stress when dealing with a sickly baby which could have been easily avoided.
Now that we've established why regular tube maintenance matters –let’s explore effective ways through which practitioners recommend parents/care givers can keep their little ones' ears clean:
Tools You'll Need
Gathering all necessities before-hand makes life much easier. These are things you'll need:
- A soft washcloth/towel
- Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl)
- Cotton pledges/balls/cue
- Saline solution/drops
Factors To Consider When Choosing Cleaning Products
You want what’s best for your kid right? When choosing products suitable for use on them always think about :
Mildness
Make sure whatever product you choose do not contain any potentially unsafe ingredients; harsh chemicals including artificial fragrances.
Irritants
You'll want to avoid harsh cleaning products that contain ingredients able to irritate your child's delicate skin & ears.
How To Clean Your Baby’s Ears After Tubes Placement
Here are the recommended steps necessary for ensuring best possible ear care following a tube placement procedure – Keep in mind this process should be done every other week:
Step 1: Wash Hands
We may not realize it, but our hands carry germs that can cause infection. Thus..the first step is washing your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds (singing Happy Birthday once or twice while scrubbing works just fine).
Step 2: Soak The Cotton Swab
Pour several drops of rubbing alcohol in a bowl then, dip each cotton ball/cue into it make sure it get fully soaked through before twisting one end between fingers as this keeps foreign substances from getting in baby's ear canal.
Step 3: Unclog Ear Canal
Gently cleanse baby's outer ears utilizing damp wash cloth/towel;assessing that they’re clean before moving on to tackle any wax buildup inside the ear.It’s Vital To Avoid Using Tools Like Q-tips During This Process As They Could Probe Into Delicate Inner Parts Of Infant Ear Canals Potentially Causing Permanent Damage Or Injury.
After determining if there is still unwanted debris lingering inside the canal use saline solution/drops which help dissolve blockages thus making them easier to remove using gentle back/forth motions of cleaned out swab until clean/wax-free. Now you're ready for some high-fives!
By George, That Was Easy Squeezy! Follow these simple guidelines and provided tips when cleaning up after tubes surgery,you will provide extra protection over long term watching babe grow up strong enough towards exploring endless possibilities life has got stored within loops.
Rubbing alcohol should only be used on outer part of ear.
Carefully using cleaning buds here are strongly inadvisable, as they may leave residue easily
It's best to check with your doctor first before you start using these.