Got water in baby’s ears? Its ok!
Help! I accidentally got water in my baby’s ear during her bath! Will she get an ear infection?
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I have been asked this question countless times.
The short answer: No. To learn more about ear infections and how/when to clean your baby’s ears, read below. If you are dying to learn about ear wax, click here!
Ear anatomy
(image: Canva)
The ear canal is separated by the ear drum into two parts: an “external” section and a “middle” section.
The ear drum (or tympanic membrane) protects the middle ear. Because it is a barrier, if water gets into the outer ear, it cannot cause a middle ear infection.
The only exceptions are if your child has ear tubes or a perforation in the eardrum.
Ear infection types
Middle ear infections (otitis media) are the most common types of ear infections in young babies.
These infections occur when fluid builds up BEHIND the ear drum (ie on the inside).
External ear infections (otitis externa), however, can be the result of fluid getting into the ear canal. These are more common in older children, especially swimmers. These are not a common concern for young infants or toddlers.
What about cleaning my baby’s ear?
Focus on cleaning the outer part of the ear itself with a washcloth only. Do not worry about cleaning out ear wax (cerumen) - I have a whole separate post on this!
The Pediatrician Mom Tip: Never use a Q tip in a baby’s ear to dry or clean it. It can risk perforating the ear drum, or even push ear wax further back.
To be honest, you shouldn’t use a Q tip in your ear either.
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