Ear - Touching Habit (Normal)
Definition
- A young child who touches, pulls, tugs, or pokes at the ear
- No crying or report of ear pain
Call or Return If
- Ear pain or crying occurs
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
About This Topic
Causes
- Main cause (infants): Normal touching and pulling with discovery of ears. This is usually seen between 4 and 12 months of age.
- Rubbing the ear is also common in younger children (under age 2 or 3).
- Some children touch their ears as they fall asleep. If it occurs only then, it may be a self-comforting habit.
- Simple ear pulling without other symptoms such as fever or crying is harmless. These children rarely have an ear infection.
After Care Advice
Overview:
- Most of these children have discovered their ears and are playing with them.
- Ear pulling without other symptoms is not a sign of an ear infection.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Habit:
- If touching the ear is a new habit, ignore it. This helps prevent your child from doing it for attention.
Keep Soap Out of the Ears:
- Keep soap and shampoo out of the ear canal.
- Reason: Makes the ears itchy.
Do Not Use Cotton Swabs:
- Cotton swabs can push earwax back and cause a plug.
- Earwax has a purpose. It protects the lining of the ear canal.
- Earwax also comes out on its own.
- Q-tips should never be used before the teen years. Reason: They are wider than the ear canal.
What to Expect:
- An ear touching habit can continue for months.
- It is harmless.
Author: Barton Schmitt MD, FAAP Copyright
Disclaimer: This health information is for educational purposes only. You the reader assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.
Article 2531