1. Is it Harmful if Water Gets into a Child's Ear?
Water entering the outer ear canal after bathing is a common issue for young children. If a small amount of water enters, simply tilting the head and pulling the earlobe down while shaking gently will allow the water to drain out. Any remaining water inside the ear will be absorbed by the tissues under the skin of the outer ear canal. Water in the ear canal can cause a feeling of fullness, nausea, and discomfort for the child.
If water in the outer ear canal is not handled correctly, frequent ear cleaning can damage the protective epithelial layer of the ear canal, creating a favorable environment for bacteria to invade, leading to external ear infections. Initial symptoms include:
- Itchy ear
- Ear pain
- Swollen ear
- Ear fullness
When water enters the ear, dry earwax will expand upon contact with water, compressing the outer ear canal, causing ear fullness, ear discharge, hearing loss, and ear pain. In cases where the eardrum is already perforated due to middle ear infection, water entering the ear during bathing can cause a recurrence of the infection. Symptoms include yellow-green ear discharge and reduced hearing. Is it harmful if water gets into a newborn's ear? For newborns, when water enters the ear after bathing, they cannot express it like older children and only cry. This increases the rate of ear infections, which are only detected when the child shows severe symptoms. Additionally, in cases where the baby chokes on milk or is breastfed in the wrong position, milk can flow into the ear canal, causing a similar condition to water entering the ear after bathing.
2. What to Do When Water Gets into a Child's Ear?
After bathing, if water gets into the child's ear, parents should handle it correctly by:
- Using a soft, clean towel to dry the outer part of the ear canal. Be careful not to insert the towel too deep into the ear canal.
- Tilting the child's head to one side while gently shaking and pulling the earlobe up and back to allow the water to drain out.
- Letting the child lie on the side with the affected ear down for a few minutes to allow the water to drain naturally. Parents can place a soft cotton towel under the ear to absorb the water.
- Using a hairdryer on the lowest heat and airflow setting, keeping a suitable distance of at least 30 cm to avoid overheating the ear, and directing the airflow towards the ear to dry it quickly.
- Using ear drops that help dry the ear. However, do not self-prescribe ear drops if the child's condition has progressed to middle ear infection or eardrum perforation.
- Additionally, parents should be aware of incorrect methods when handling water in the ear, such as using cotton swabs to clean the ear, as this can push earwax deeper into the ear canal and remove the protective epithelial layer, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to invade.
In summary, water getting into a child's ear after bathing is a common issue. If not handled correctly, frequent ear cleaning can damage the protective epithelial layer of the ear canal, creating conditions for bacteria to invade and cause ear infections. Therefore, when water gets into a child's ear, it is essential to monitor and handle it correctly. If there are any abnormal signs such as ear pain, swelling, ear discharge, or excessive crying in infants, take the child to a medical facility for timely evaluation and treatment.
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