What is a sign of earwax with a bad smell in babies?

Signs of disease in the ear are often more difficult to recognize than in other parts. Especially for babies who do not know how to express their discomfort to their parents. Among the signs, foul-smelling earwax in babies is quite common. So what are the warning signs of this disease and what should parents do in this case?

Earwax has a bad smell in babies due to many reasons, this can be due to improper ear hygiene or this can also be a sign of an ear infection. Let's find out with SignsSymptomsList through the article below!

What is earwax?

Earwax is also known as earwax or cerumen. This is the yellow waxy substance on the inside of the ear. According to recommendations from the American Academy of Otolaryngology (AAO), earwax has its own function, so if it is not necessary, do not touch it.

Earwax is a body mechanism that exerts protective, lubricating and antibacterial properties in the ear. The small nodes in the outer ear canal always pump out a slightly mucilaginous fluid that mixes with dead ear hairs and skin to form earwax.

Earwax will be pushed slowly out of the ear canal by the chewing motion of the teeth. Thanks to this movement, earwax is brought out into the outer ear canal. Here, thanks to the air agent, the earwax will dry and fall out on its own. There are 2 types of earwax, dry and wet, depending on the location, race or lifestyle of each person. However, whether dry or wet, earwax also has a protective role for the body.

The reason why the baby's ears have a bad smell

Because the ears of a newborn baby are so small, it is difficult for parents to look deep inside the ear. So to check, parents can only see if the baby's ears have an unusual smell, for example, a bad smell. Causes of bad ear odor include:

There are many reasons why earwax smells bad in babies

• Improper or infrequent cleaning of baby's ears

Babies with wet earwax have a bad smell, which can be caused by improper cleaning or not cleaning regularly, which can cause earwax to accumulate and cause odors. Proper ear cleaning will keep your baby's ears clean, avoiding the risk of infection causing inflammation.

• Your baby's ear is inflamed or infected

Otitis media that causes bad breath in children's ears often occurs after a cold or sinus infection. At this point, fluid is trapped behind the eardrum, parts of the ear swell and infection causes inflammation and a bad smell.

• Due to the baby's ears getting water in the bath

If, unfortunately, water gets into your baby's ears during a bath and is not dried immediately, it can also cause your baby's ears to smell bad. However, this case is not too worrying compared to the above reasons. In addition, earwax can also have a bad smell if there is a foreign object in the baby's ear.

For babies from 6 months and under, parents who suspect that the baby's ears have problems should take them to the doctor immediately. The doctor will check to see if your baby has an ear infection. Usually, if you have an ear infection, an ear infection, in addition to the bad smell, you will have symptoms such as:

• The child has a high fever over 38 degrees.
• The baby is crying due to pain in the ear.
• There is discharge from inside the ear, the discharge is dark yellow, green, or even bloody.

Depending on the baby's condition, the doctor will prescribe it accordingly, don't worry too much because as long as you follow the right regimen, your baby will soon recover from the disease.

Parents need to take their baby to the doctor when the baby's ears have a bad odor along with one of the above signs

How to take care of the baby when the ear smells like?

If the baby has been concluded that the condition of the ear is bad due to inflammation, the mother should pay attention to a few things to help the baby recover soon:

• Use the medicine exactly as prescribed by the doctor, absolutely do not increase the dose of antibiotics or anti-inflammatory because you want your baby to heal quickly.
• Warm your baby to help relieve pain.
• Feed your baby enough to make sure he doesn't become dehydrated.

Absolutely avoid some tricks such as instilling hydrogen peroxide, using beeswax or sprinkling antibiotics in your baby's ears. All of these methods are not effective, even dangerous to ear function and life.

Preventing bad-smelling earwax in babies

Newborn babies have weak immune systems, so it is very important to prevent infections for babies. Parents should take precautions with the following measures:

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months

Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for your baby. Compared to formula milk, breast milk contains antibodies that help strengthen the baby's immunity. Therefore, prioritize breast milk over formula, at least for the first 6 months of your baby's life.

Give your baby exclusively for the first 6 months to strengthen the immune system

Fully vaccinated

Vaccinating your baby is also a necessary measure to protect the baby from pathogens. Especially two types of pneumococcal vaccine and DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine (5 in 1). Remember to give your baby the vaccine on time to maximize the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Currently, there are all kinds of vaccines for children, so don't miss any vaccinations for your baby.

How to properly clean your baby's ears?

This is a simple but very effective measure. It is not necessary for the mother to clean her ears every day, but she can do it 1-2 times a week. The appropriate way to clean the ears is to use a soft towel, gently twist it and put it in the baby's ear. Soft towels will help clean mucus in the baby's ears while not causing damage to the inside of the ear.

Cleaning your baby's ears properly is a simple and effective measure

Keep your baby clean

In addition to keeping the ears clean, mothers should also pay attention to keeping their hands and toys clean to avoid infection. Because babies often have a habit of sucking or chewing on toys. Mothers or loved ones also need to wash their hands when coming into contact with the baby, limiting the smell of the baby if they are sick.

Breastfeeding in the right position

If the baby is bottle-fed, the mother should place the baby high when feeding. Besides, the mother should not let the baby sleep with a bottle when sleeping to avoid milk flowing into the ear, which can cause ear infections. It is best to let babies drink all the milk before putting them to sleep.

Bad-smelling earwax in babies will not cause dangerous complications if parents understand the cause as well as how to prevent it. However, if there are abnormal signs like the SignsSymptomsList mentioned above, parents need to take the baby to a medical facility immediately.