To keep the ear free from runny discharge
- 1 plastic kidney dish
- 1 plastic 20 ml syringe or a commercial garden spray bottle with a fine nozzle
- Freshly made daily
- Betadine antiseptic solution
- Dilute 5 mls (1 teaspoon) of Betadine (10%) antiseptic solution with 100 mls of boiled water or saline 0.9% (e.g. 25 mls in 500 ml bottle)
- Wash hands before and after procedure
- Pour solution into clean, small container e.g. mug, and place mug into larger container with hot water to warm up solution safely
- Seat your child and protect clothing with a towel. Hold the kidney dish under the ear to be syringed
- Test solution with clean small finger to ensure safe temperature
- Allow your child to test the warm solution on his/her hand before proceeding
- Fill the syringe with solution and expel all air from the syringe
- Hold the syringe up to the ear. The tip of the syringe (nozzle) must be kept in sight and not placed fully into the ear canal
- Direct the flow of the solution to the roof of the ear canal, not straight in
- Press the plunger gently, ensuring a gentle continuous flow, until the syringe is empty
- Continue the procedure until the return flow is clean. Usually syringing three times is enough
- Dry your child’s outer ear with the towel or tissues. A “tissue spear” will safely dry the ear canal
- Remove plunger from the syringe, rinse, then wash in warm diluted dishwashing solution. Rinse again and leave the syringe and kidney dish to dry under a towel, ready for next use
Note : Betadine can be purchased from any pharmacy
NEVER apply swab stick directly into the ear