Ear tubes and more...

[Eidson23]

My 7 year old son has had tubes in his ears due to chronic ear infections since he was about 4 years old. One is still in, and the other has made it's way out according to the doctor. However, mainly within the past 6 months, he has been complaining about his ears. I asked the doctor to look at them and he said he doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. My son is so sensitive when it comes to his ears, it's a pain just to clean them after a bath and such because he either anticipates them hurting or he says they actually hurt. I have never liked Q-tipping his ears to begin with I feel like when you're not doing it to yourself, you're almost pushing more wax back and packing it in. Has anyone tried other ways to clean their child's ears? I've heard of candling, but I'm afraid he'll freak out.

Also, does anyone have any experience with using essential oils for ADHD? He is medicated (trust me it was a last case option). He's on a fairly low dose of extended release Aderall. I have been reading about these essential oils that parents have used for severe ADHD and now I'm curious. I've never believed in that holistic stuff (no offense to anyone that does!) but some reviews have had me curious. I wanted to see what other parents do to cope with ADHD. It's mainly only a problem for him in school. At home he's much more manageable and it's easier to keep him entertained.

 

[JASMAK]

Do people clean ears? I wash behind when Iw ash faces...but I don't put anything in my kids ears. A lot of his fears are probably learned. Water hurts and is bad....isn't actually true. Most kids outgrow their ear infections, so might be time to get him in some swim lessons and teach him water in the ears really is okay. Its very common for tubes to come out. The fact they have been in that long is amazing!

No advice about adhd, but i bet a natural medicine doctor would have great advice!

 

[the why bird]

Have you been told to clean inside his ears because of the history of infections? If not, I'd stop doing it. There is a risk of the wax being shoved down, as you pointed out. Cotton buds are also not sterile so if you irritate the skin it could well be getting very sore. As an adult I STILL have ears that are very prone to infection and get sore very easily, so it's difficult to say whether he's just worrying about the pain or it's really painful.

If you are worried about wax build up, you can put a drop or two of olive oil in the ear every few days, it softens the wax and is mildly anti-bacterial. Then it should come out on it's own.

Any water left in from the bath shouldn't do him any harm so long as there isn't already an infection in there.

 

[Pearls18]

I had tubes as a child, do not clean his ears. I was advised warm olive oil poured in (HATED it) but obviously speak to the dr about that, because it's good for some conditions, not others, when my ear drum perforated it was the worst thing we could do. Are you seeing an ENT consultant?

I wasn't allowed water in my ears until I was late teens but I had complications, is it glue ear he has?