EARACHE IN CHILDREN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1746, 9 August 1917, Page 4

EARACHE IN CHILDREN.

Earn elm is so common a (rouble iu children that it is frequently looked on as a trivial ailment, and entirely fails to receive the careful consideration and treatment that are necessary. One variety of earache, accompanied by more or less deafness, may ho caused by the impaction in the meatus of a hardened mass of wax or some small “foreign body,” such as a head, a hoot button, a pea, or a pencil end. In all these cases an attempt ■ must he made to remove the offender. The ear must lie syringed, but this must he done both gently and skilfully. An attempt must lie made to sec how (lie obstruct ion lies, and then to divert the stream of Aval or so that it gets behind and Avashes it outAvards. In the ease of impacted Avax a mixture of (i grains each of carbonate cf soda and carbolic acid to one ounce of glycerine may be applied. A feAv drops are warmed in a teaspoon over a spirit lamp and poured into the ear. Then a small pledget of eotton-Avool is put in. This application should be made, night and morning, for throe or four days, until the Avax is softened and ready for removal by syringing. No fluid should be used in the ease of peas or other seeds, because it Avould cause them to savcll. Such bodies are very difficult to remove, and may have to be extracted by a surgeon Avhile the patient is under anaesthesia. Insects may be removed from the ear by filling it Avith oil, Avhieh kills the insect and floats it out of the ear.