Miss Adeyemi: I’m Miss Adeyemi the convener of The Healthy Kids. Can I meet you please?
Nurse: Chioma: I’m Nurse Chioma Nzeakuba
Miss Adeyemi: Nice meeting you ma’am
Nurse Chioma: Thank you ma’am
Miss Adeyemi: Can you please tell us where the ear is located and the parts?
Nurse Chioma: The ear is located at the side of the face with most part of it covered by the skull bone. There are three major parts of the ear: the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. There are also other more detailed part of the ear, they include but not limited to: pinna, ear lobe, ear canal, ear drum, semi circular canal, cochlea, auditory nerve etc.
Miss Adeyemi: Pls what is/are the functions of the ear?
Nurse Chioma: The ears perform two major functions: Hearing and Balancing. The ear helps to keep the body in a balanced posture. For instance if the ear is damaged, you would always feel dizzy.
Miss Adeyemi: How can we take care of our ears as an adult?
Nurse Chioma: We can keep the outer ear clean by cleaning it with wet towel, sponge or wipes. Avoid noisy environment/loud noise as they could damage the ear drum. You don’t put anything into your ears; anything at all except when stated by the doctor or being done by the doctor.
Miss Adeyemi: But ma’am, what about the Almighty cotton bud?
Nurse Chioma: That includes the cotton bud, don’t use cotton buds to clean your ears because: 1. Some cotton buds are not well prepared and the cotton may remove while trying to clean your ears and stuck inside the ears. 2. Cotton bud also pushes the ear wax deeper into the ear, making it easier to have accumulation of wax in the ear. 3. The wax protects our ears from foreign bodies.
Miss Adeyemi: How can a parent take care of their wards’/children’s ear and how often?
Miss Adeyemi: Parent should treat their children’s upper respiratory tract infection(catarrh and cough) immediately it’s spotted and have their ears and hearing checked often. We should all have our ears cleaned with glycerin and olive oil once or twice in 3 months.
Miss Adeyemi: Kindly explain how to use the glycerin/olive oil to clean the ears.
Nurse Chioma: Lie down on one side or tilt your ear to one side and apply 3-5 drops of olive oil. Remain in the position for some hours, the olive oil would dissolve the wax and make it easier for it to flow out. It can be done mostly at night.
Miss Adeyemi: what do we call the doctor that takes care of the ear?
Nurse Chioma: Otolaryngologist(ENT). ENT means Ear, Nose and Throat.
Miss Adeyemi: it’s fun having you with us. I guess the parents have learnt from this episode of The Healthy Kids. Hope to hear from you some other time.
Nurse Chioma: I’ll be delighted
Miss Adeyemi: Until we come your way next time, don’t forget that no amount of investment in your kid’s health is too much. Kids are amazing gifts from God and they deserve the best Care possible.
Till we come your way , Stay healthy.
Healthy Kids are Happy Kids.
