How to Care for Your Baby's Ears During Cold and Flu Season

As a new parent, it’s important to know how to care for your baby’s ears during cold and flu season. The cold and flu can cause ear infections, which can be very uncomfortable for your little one. Here are some tips on how to keep your baby’s ears healthy during this time of year:

1. Keep your baby's head elevated when sleeping: When you put your baby down for a nap or bedtime, make sure their head is slightly elevated with a pillow or rolled up blanket. This will help keep fluid from pooling in the ear canal and reduce the risk of infection.

2. Use a humidifier: A humidifier helps keep the air in your home moist, which helps reduce inflammation in the ear canal and prevents bacteria from growing. Make sure you clean the humidifier regularly to prevent bacteria buildup.

3. Clean your baby's ears gently: It is important to clean your baby’s ears gently with a warm cloth or cotton swab dipped in warm water with no soap added (earwax is naturally produced by babies). Do not insert anything into the ear canal as this could lead to injury or infection.

4. Keep hands clean: Make sure you wash hands before touching any part of your baby's face or body, including their ears, as germs can easily spread through contact with dirty hands.

5. Watch for signs of infection: If you notice any redness, swelling, discharge from the ear(s), fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), irritability/pain when touching around their ears etc., seek medical attention immediately as these could be signs of an infection that needs treatment right away!

Following these tips will help ensure that your little one stays healthy during cold and flu season!

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cold and flu season, ear infections, head elevated, humidifier, clean ears gently, hands clean, signs of infection,

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