Q: How can I keep my child’s ears clean? A: The ear is a self-cleaning organ and does not require any active cleaning. Simply cleaning the outside of the ear is sufficient. Do not insert anything into the ear or inject any fluid without a prescription from a health professional. Q: Why does my child have an earache? A: Problems that can cause ear pain include: cerumen (ear wax) embolism; acute infection of the ear canal; acute infection of the eardrum; and fluid buildup in the middle ear. To identify the problem, you should take your child for an ear examination. Earaches can lead to serious problems, so they should not be taken lightly. Q: What can I do to prevent my child from getting an ear infection? A: Good care of the ear will prevent most ear infections from occurring. Some of the important things to remember are: Don’t let dirty water get into the ear. Don’t pat your child, especially on the ear, to avoid hurting the eardrum. Stay alert for ear pain, hearing loss and moisture in the ear to ensure that an early diagnosis of an acute ear infection is made. Teach your child not to insert any objects into the ear, such as pencils, erasers, hairpins, etc. Q: Can I use traditional remedies or herbs in the ear? A: No! This can damage the ear canal and eardrum and cause infection. Q: When should I take my child to the doctor if there is a problem with the ear? A: Your child should see a doctor as soon as possible when he or she complains of the following problems: ear pain; outflow from the ear; hearing loss; improperly developed speech; or when your child does not understand your appropriate words. Q: How long is it dangerous to stay in loud noise? A: The degree of hearing hazard depends on the noise level and the duration of exposure. It is best to take immediate protective measures to prevent exposure to loud noise. Ear protection (such as appropriate earplugs) should be worn before entering a noisy area. Q: I like to wear headphones and listen to loud music, will this damage my hearing? A: The risk of hearing loss can be exacerbated if loud music is played for long periods of time. It has been proven that with most devices, listening through headphones at 95% of maximum volume for 5 minutes straight will result in hearing damage. If you listen to music through headphones, you should try to lower the volume to protect your hearing and should take care to take breaks at intervals.