The RHCYP does not offer an ear dewaxing service, other than for some children with previous mastoid surgery or hearing aids.
Ear wax is physiological and does not usually need to be removed.
Ear wax is normal and healthy. It has antibacterial properties and helps keeps the ear canal supple and clean. It does not need to be removed unless it is masking problems. It is extremely rare for ear wax to be occlusive enough to cause hearing loss.
Potential problems could be:
- Hiding underlying cause for hearing loss.
- Hiding underlying cause for infection. Infection itself should be obvious.
Please note that ear irrigation is generally safe in children.
Secondary care microsuction.
- This is a well-established and generally safe procedure but requires specialist training and equipment. It is noisy, time-consuming and distressing for children, which increases the risk of serious injury.
- Even young children will tolerate irrigation, but mostly not microsuction.
- Thus, irrigation is the preferred management modality.
- The RHCYP does not offer a dewaxing service: ear microsuction is only reserved for some children with previous mastoid surgery or hearing aids.
Please see the Ear Wax PIL – which can be applied to most children, too, unless there are contraindications to ear irrigation:
- persistent tympanic membrane perforation or grommet
- previous (fresh) myringoplasty/tympanoplasty/mastoidectomy
- only hearing ear.
Most CTACS do not currently offer ear irrigation in children – please see individual HSCP CTACS for details.
Sodium bicarbonate ear drops (can be bought OTC), to be used twice daily for one to two weeks, are the most reliable and cheapest way of dissolving wax.
Oil drops are very good at softening wax prior to irrigation or microsuction but not good at actually removing it.
If hearing loss is suspected:
- refer to paediatric audiology
If infection is suspected:
- treat infection appropriately (topical ear drops for otitis externa +/- oral antibiotics if acute otitis media). If infection does not settle refer to ENT for review of infection, not wax.
