Teaching Elementary School Health Education/Personal Health and Physical Activity/Ear Care

The care of ears is very important. Proper ear care includes having regular ear examinations and tests for hearing loss.

Cleaning
The outer ear should be cleansed frequently with a soft, clean washcloth. Objects of any size, including cotton-tipped swabs, should never be inserted into the ear because these objects might puncture the eardrum. A puncture would allow dirt or microorganisms to get into the ear and cause infection and could lead to hearing loss. Proper cleansing of the outer ear also helps avert wax buildup in the ear canal.

== Examinations ==

An audiologist is a specialist who diagnoses and treats hearing and speech-related problems.

An otolaryngologist (ENT) is a physician who diagnoses and treats disorders of the ears, nose, and throat.

== Hearing Loss ==

Noise-induced hearing loss is the slow loss of hearing caused by too much noise.

== Protecting Against Hearing Loss ==


 * 1. Do not insert any objects into the ears
 * 2. Clean the outer ear with a soft, clean washcloth
 * 3. Contact physician if the ears become infected or there are signs of hearing loss
 * 4. Keep the volume of radios, stereos, and TVs at safe levels
 * 5. Keep music through headphones at a reasonable level
 * 6. Wear protective earplugs when operating loud machinery