Children sometimes put foreign objects in their ears. Insects or other strange objects sometimes also enter the ears of children during their outdoor activities. Continue reading for tips on removing a foreign object from your child's ear, as well as when you should seek medical attention.
Step
Step 1. Find out what goes into the child's ear
Use a flashlight to look inside the ear, and ask another child who is playing to help you identify the object.
Step 2. Know when to seek help
While doctor, pediatrician, and emergency room care may be expensive, you should never leave something in your child's ear and just hope it will come out on its own as this can lead to infection.
- A foreign object in the ear is very annoying, can cause nausea, and is painful for a child to remove.
- Take the child to the emergency department if the object is not removed by yourself or if you do not know what to do. This problem is common and is treated quite often in the emergency department. The ER doctor on duty will help you deal with it quickly.
- If the child does not feel pain, you can just wait and take him to a regular doctor, or an ENT specialist. Be aware that ear irritation gets worse at night so you may have to be prepared to take him to the ER.
Step 3. Tell the child that he does not need injections or painful procedures
Most children are afraid of the otoscope (a special flashlight used to examine the ear), hemostats (a tool that resembles scissors for picking up objects, but doesn't cut), or the syringe used to spray water into the ear canal.
Step 4. Be careful when trying to get the object out so it doesn't push it deeper and cause permanent damage
If you can't see the object, don't try to remove it with a tool.
Method 1 of 2: Using Tweezers
Step 1. Make sure you can see the clogging, and have good lighting
Step 2. Have the child lie flat and not move
Step 3. Remove the object with blunt-tipped tweezers or a hemostat if applicable
Step 4. Be careful not to push the object further into the ear
Step 5. Be careful when removing the object so it doesn't break inside the ear
Step 6. Anticipate ear irritation after the object is removed
Your child's ears may be sore, especially from pulling on the nostrils, putting a finger in the ear, blocking objects, etc.
Method 2 of 2: Using Irrigation Measures
Step 1. Use a towel to protect the floor or other furniture
Step 2. Use a small bowl or basin to collect the water
Step 3. Have the child lie flat and not move
Step 4. Tilt the side of the blocked ear so that it is closer to the floor than the other side of the ear
The force of gravity will help push objects out and not further down the ear canal.
Step 5. Use a syringe (without a needle)
- You can buy it at some pharmacies at a low price.
- This tool is usually used to treat babies or pets. So you probably already have it.
- You can also use a small bottle that has not been used but is still clean.
- A syringe equipped with a suction rubber ball may also be used to suck water and irrigate the ear.
Step 6. Pull the syringe so that warm (not hot) water can enter it
Do not let the ear actually get burned by hot water.
Step 7. Spray warm water into the ear canal
Step 8. Continue to put water in the ear
Step 9. After a few minutes and if there is no foreign object visible in the bowl, try looking for an object to remove the previous way
Step 10. Use mild additives to kill insects
If bugs are suspected to have entered the ear, add a little baby soap, Bactine, peroxide, or diluted conditioner to the water. You may have to kill the bugs to get them out. Insects often try to get deeper and deeper until they die. Be sure to rinse your ears with clean water.
Tips
- Make sure not to go too deep or your child's ears will hurt.
- Be patient if you decide to visit the emergency department. This issue is unlikely to jeopardize patient safety. Meanwhile, other patients may be preferred.
- In the emergency department, the doctor may spray lidocaine into the ear canal to help reduce pain and kill insects.
- Take the baby to the doctor to remove the object that is blocking his ear. Baby's ears are very sensitive and sensitive. Don't let the damage get worse.
- Insects flying or crawling inside the ear can be very annoying, both for adults and children. The steps above can be used by almost all ages, except babies.
- Insects often enter the ear during outdoor sports matches at night because they are attracted to light. So, consider wearing earplugs.
Warning
- If the blockage is not visible, be careful when trying to remove it yourself. You might just push the object further away and cause another injury. It would be safer if the doctor did it.
- You may try several steps, but still do not succeed in removing the object from the ear. While you may try to remove the object, don't put off visiting the doctor until the clinic is closed.
- Keep small objects such as beads, broken toys, pebbles, etc., out of the reach of children, especially those who have a tendency to put objects in their ears.
