Is it really that bad to get water in an infant's ear?

Question

My baby girl loves taking baths but, of course, we get conflicting information about how often and how careful we should be of water in her ears. The peditrition said every other day and didn't say anything about being careful about getting water in her ears (though, maybe it's obvious since, you know, you gotta keep her head above water).

Anyway, is it really that big a deal if water gets in her ears? She turns her head and unless I try really hard water makes it's way in there, especially when washing her hair.

Will this cause ear infections?

Answer 1

We not only used to bathe the kids in such a way that their ears were definitely under water when rinsing their hair, but took them swimming from a couple of months old.

If the water is from a source which could contain infection - eg the sea, or a public swimming pool - you just give the ears a good rinse when they get out and then dry.

When children are older they can learn how to tip their heads to help water escape, but for now you can easily wick up any water in their using the end of a tissue - nothing dangerous, just get the corner folded up enough that you can reach into the ear and the water will wick straight into the tissue.

Answer 2

The reason behind the "keep water out of the ear" thing stems from the fact that an infant's ear canal is angled differently than an adult's (or even an older child's). In an infant, the angle is such that it is more prone to collecting water, which can then sit, stagnate, and eventually lead to ear infections.

Some children are so prone to ear infections due to this that they have to have tubes put in (generally, more than 4 ear infections in 6 months warrants a trip to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist) to help the water drain out. If you've ever had an ear infection, you probably know why recurring ear infections are bad in young children, aside from the fact that they just plain suck - it makes it difficult to hear, and for young children, it can slow language development, which can cause long-term issues.

So yes, it's a good idea to avoid getting water in an infant's ears. However, life happens and there are a number of ways to help drain or dry the water. Rory's answer has some good tips on that.

Answer 3

I can't imagine that this is a problem, I used to get water in my ears all of the time when I was younger, particularly during bathing. In fact, I used to completely submerge my head (apart from my nose) in the bath water to rinse the shampoo from my head when my hair was washed (due to an aversion to having water poured on my head). I have never had an ear infection.

Answer 4

Will this cause ear infections?

Yes, this will cause infection in her ear.

To prevent water to get in her ear, you should apply a very little amount of Vaseline or use a piece of cotton to put at start of her ear.

Source: I learned this from my mother who raised more than 8 children.

Answer 5

Yes I had ear infection before the specialist said use a bit Vaseline on the cotton ball to put in ears like wearing ear plugs to prevent the water getting into ears.