Why does the child keep scratching his ears?
Recently, the issue of children frequently scratching their ears has become a hot topic among parents. Many parents have reported on social platforms and parenting forums that their children always scratch their ears and even scratch their skin, which is very worrying. This article will combine the hot discussions and expert advice on the Internet in the past 10 days to provide you with a detailed analysis of the possible reasons why children scratch their ears and how to deal with them.
1. Common reasons why children scratch their ears
According to the analysis of pediatricians and parenting experts, children's frequent ear scratching may be caused by the following reasons:
| Reason | Specific performance | Proportion (based on recent discussion data) |
|---|---|---|
| ear infection (such as otitis media) | Accompanied by fever, crying, and ear canal discharge | 35% |
| Eczema or skin allergies | Redness, swelling and scaling of the skin around the ears | 25% |
| Earwax buildup | Yellow or brown discharge can be seen in the ear canal | 20% |
| Teething discomfort | Accompanied by drooling and biting | 15% |
| habitual actions | No other abnormal performance | 5% |
2. How do parents initially judge the cause?
According to recent sharings from popular parenting bloggers, parents can preliminarily determine the reason why their children scratch their ears through the following steps:
1.Watch for accompanying symptoms: Check whether the child has a fever, increased crying, or whether there is discharge from the ear canal.
2.Check the skin around the ears: Check for redness, rash, or scaling around the ears.
3.Record ear-grabbing frequency: Pay attention to whether your child scratches more frequently at certain times (such as before bed, teething).
4.try to distract: Use toys or interactions to divert attention and observe whether the ear scratching continues.
3. When do you need medical treatment?
According to the online Q&A given by pediatricians in the past 10 days, it is recommended to seek medical treatment promptly in the following situations:
| Symptoms | Possible problem | Urgency |
|---|---|---|
| Ear canal discharge or bleeding | Bacterial infection, eardrum perforation | Need to see a doctor within 24 hours |
| Sustained high fever (>38.5℃) | acute otitis media | Need to see a doctor within 12 hours |
| Refusing to eat, frequently waking up at night | Worsening of ear pain | Need to see a doctor within 48 hours |
| Skin ulcers that don’t heal | severe eczema or fungal infection | Need to see a doctor within 72 hours |
4. Home care suggestions
Combined with the practical experience of recent popular parenting posts, the following home care methods have been recommended many times:
1.cleaning care: Clean the auricle with warm water (do not dig out the ear canal) and keep it dry.
2.Moisturizing treatment: For ear scratches caused by eczema, apply baby moisturizing cream.
3.physical protection: Breathable cotton ear protection gloves can be worn on the baby at night.
4.teething relief: Provide teether or cold compress towel to relieve discomfort.
5.Psychological comfort: Increase companionship time and reduce habitual actions caused by anxiety.
5. Latest expert opinions (updated in the past 10 days)
1.Director Zhang of Beijing Children’s Hospital: A 2023 study showed that 70% of infants and young children's otitis media only manifested as ear scratching in the early stage. Parents are advised to be more vigilant.
2.Shanghai Childcare Research Institute: The latest survey found that the incidence of ear eczema in urban children has increased by 40% compared with 5 years ago, and it is related to air quality.
3.international otological society: It is reiterated that children under 2 years old are prohibited from using cotton swabs to pick out their ears, as it may push the earwax deeper.
6. Netizens’ experience sharing
According to a recent popular discussion post on a maternal and child platform, these practical suggestions have received high praise:
• "Using olive oil to soften earwax makes it easier for doctors to clean it" (12,000 likes)
• "Hang the swivel music in the crib to reduce the tendency to grab headphones when lying on your back." (9800 likes)
• "Eczema around the ears will be aggravated if breast milk is applied on it, medical Vaseline is needed" (8500 likes)
To sum up, although it is common for children to scratch their ears, parents need to observe comprehensively and deal with it scientifically. When symptoms persist or worsen, it is important to seek professional medical help promptly.
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