Removing ear wax in toddlers?

Any suggestions on removing ear wax in toddlers? I havn't used ear candles before, could they be used on toddlers? My DD has wax in her ear, I use to get wax build up easily too. I havn't taken her to the pediatrican for over a year, no real need to. I don't want to pay $125 just to get her ears cleaned out!!

Thanks!!

[DogwoodMama]

My toddler just loses gobs occassionally... how can you tell if it's too much?

On Oprah the Dr was mentioning NOT to use Qtips, but if it looks like there is a lot of wax put in a drop of mineral oil and that will melt the wax and it will drain out. Not sure if this is kosher for children?

[allisonintx]

When my dd was little, I could make a rice sock and put it inside her pillow case,and the heat would melt out the wax in the night...it was ookie because she needed a major hairwash and a new pillow case the next morning, but it worked really well. Dh has very dry excess earwax and the doctor said to use liquid Colace each night to make it soft so it would work itself out.

[DogwoodMama]

But how do you know you need to get it out for them? If it's not coming out on its own?

[Maggie]

DS's works its way out to the outer ear and I just use my finger to remove it.

[cobluegirl]

hydrogen peroxide is what we have used. They make something called Debrox that is really gooey that you can use..but I didn't like it. I think that warm olive oil would probably work. I like the peroxide because it doesn't really make a mess..wipes right up with a wash cloth.

[snlmama]

We use warm olive oil. I've tried the debrox, but the olive oil seems to work faster (the debrox can take a couple of days) and bother the kids less. I've used peroxide in my own ears b/c they get itchy, but I've never noticed wax buildup. Yeah, the olive oil is messy.

Everyone has wax in their ears - it's not a problem unless it's bothering them. We figured out my ds had too much b/c we thought he had an ear infection - he was crying and pulling his ears, etc. The dr. said no, but lots of wax. Since then I do the olive oil anytime he starts rubbing or scratching them a lot or if he complains about them bothering him.

[Calliope]

I was an incredible ear wax producing kid. It never bothered me, but a couple times in my childhood my doctor would take hearing test and discover that ear wax was blocking my ears so much that I couldn't hear very well. Then they would scrape out this enormous pile of ear wax (it hurt a lot) and laugh because it was such an unbelievable amount. On the plus side, I had only had two ear infection my entire childhood. I pretty sure I can thank my excessive ear wax for that.

Anyway, I agree with the above poster, only do something if it's bothering him. I've used the peroxide trick before but can't really tell if it does anything but bubble in my ear.

I use to have tons of wax as a child. I have used the peroxide on myself but didn't know what about the kids.

Thanks!!

[BeckaBlue]

abbey gets buildup BAD one time se was at the er for a 104+ fever and they wanted to see her ears (which were ALWAYS infected) but they couldnt so the cleaned them out using a medicine dropper w/ a peroxide/warm water combo and one of those puke buckets under her ear to catch it. a lot of the wax was black and it smelled rotten getting near her ear! it wasn't bothering her though, but her ear was infected anyways
we use a q-tip but only on the outer edges of her ear
nik and kenzie's work out appropriately
mine is so dry it doesn't come out. i use olive oil daily, just dip a qtip in it and let some drip in my ear. it's helping

[Rabbit]

I went deaf as a toddler, from excess ear wax. My mother thought I was just a brat, ignoring her. Doctor had to remove it. I don't remember anything but the horror of my own screaming, and how jittery it made my father. I had ear infections off and on for years afterwards.

-Natalie

Natalie, that is a painful memory.

I use this in ds's ears...he has had only 2 ear infections in his little life, and the first one was cured entirely with this oil. The other needed a-biotics, but he has had no other infections since then; any sign of discomfort, and I whip out this oil and use it warm:

5 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
15 drops grapefruit seed extract

Peel garlic and chop fine. Place in a baking dish with olive oil and put in oven, set to the lowest setting, and leave overnight.

Strain oil through a cloth (I think I used a coffee filter set into a mesh strainer) and press well.

Add essential oils and mix well. Pour into amber bottle with a dropper for storage.