Hearology®
020 3747 4615Book

Children's ear cleaning

Whatever is troubling your child's ears, you're in good hands.

Gentle microsuction for children and young people aged 3 to 17 at Hearology®, with ENT nurses and audiologists who regularly look after children's ears. A parent or guardian books and gives consent.

Book children's ear cleaning 020 3747 4615

Not sure it's wax? See the signs parents most often notice.

4.9 out of 5 from 2,815 reviews on GoogleRated 4.9 from 2,500+ Google reviews
The waiting area at a Hearology clinic

Appointments for children aged 3 to 12 take 30 minutes, so there's time to stop if they need to.

Why clients trust us

Trusted and proven expertise

We've cared for over 185,000 ears, and we've been rated one of the 3 best audiologists in London by Three Best Rated®, 8 years running.

Hearology is registered with the CQC (the Care Quality Commission), which sets us apart in an industry where anyone can offer ear cleaning, whatever their training. If you're looking for safe, comfortable ear wax removal, we'd love to look after your ears too.

Over 185,000 ears cared for4.9 out of 5 from 2,815 reviews on GoogleRated 4.9 from 2,500+ Google reviewsSee our reviews on Trustpilot
  • Registered with the Care Quality Commission
  • HCPC registered
  • Three Best Rated
  • As featured in The Times and The Telegraph

What to expect

What your child will hear, see and feel

Knowing what's coming makes the appointment easier for everyone. Here's exactly what it's like, so you can talk it through with them beforehand.

Getting them ready

  • Tell them it's a quick ear check with a special light.
  • Bring a favourite toy or something to hold.
  • No drops or olive oil are needed beforehand.
  • You'll stay with them the whole time.
  • They'll leave with a sticker for being brave.
  • We'll call you before the appointment to carry out some safety checks. We can't go ahead until we've spoken to you.
Book children's ear cleaning020 3747 4615
  1. HearVery little, often nothingWhere we can, we remove the wax by hand, which is silent. If suction is needed, it makes a quiet, steady hum. We gently desensitise your child to the sound first, bringing it closer step by step, so it feels familiar by the time we begin.
  2. SeeA light and a microscopeThe microscope gives us a clear, magnified view of the ear canal throughout. Your child is welcome to look at it before we begin.
  3. FeelA light touchSome children notice a slight tickle or coolness. It shouldn't hurt, and we'll pause whenever they need us to.

The procedure

How we'll look after your child

Microsuction gently lifts wax out a little at a time, and it's safer and more comfortable than syringing. No drops or olive oil are needed beforehand, and you're welcome to stay with your child throughout.

  1. We make friends firstYou tell us what you've noticed and any history, from glue ear to past infections. Meanwhile, your clinician gets to know your child with a game, a peek at our giant model ear or a few shadow puppets from the microscope light, so they're relaxed before anything begins.
  2. We explain as we goWe tell you what we're about to do and why, while keeping our attention on your child, so they stay relaxed and you stay informed.
  3. We look closely at both earsYour child climbs up onto the couch with you beside them. Using a surgical microscope, we examine both ear canals and eardrums before anything is touched.
  4. We get their ear used to itWe touch gently around the ear with a finger or a little cotton wool, and let them hear the suction nearby first, so nothing comes as a surprise.
  5. We gently remove the waxIf we can lift the wax out by hand, we do that first, so your child doesn't hear the suction at all. Otherwise a thin, quiet suction tip lifts it out a little at a time. Nothing sharp goes into the ear, and if they'd like a break, we stop.
  6. We award your child with a stickerWe look again to make sure the ear is clear and healthy and talk you through what we found. Your child leaves with a sticker for being brave.
The surgical binocular microscope we use for microsuction
Every clearance is done under a surgical binocular microscope, with sterile single-use tips.

Our team

Who will look after your child

Our paediatric clinicians are experienced ENT nurses and audiologists who see children every week. They take their time, explain every step and make the appointment feel easy.

Our team

Vincent Howard

Co-founder & Clinical Audiologist

Vincent Howard

BSc (Hons), CECP, HCPC registered

Vincent Howard is one of Hearology's Co-founders and a Health and Care Professions Council-registered Clinical Audiologist with expertise in aural microsuction (including paediatric), hearing and balance, diagnostic hearing assessments and hearing aid technology.

Read more about Vincent
01 / 04

Equipment

The equipment we use, and why it matters for children

Microsuction takes its name from the microscope. It lets our clinicians see the ear canal and eardrum clearly, and in depth, the whole time they're working. That matters all the more in a space as small as a child's ear.

A surgical binocular microscope
Surgical binocular microscopesThese give our clinicians a clear, three-dimensional view, so they can work safely inside a space as small as a child's ear canal. Not every provider uses them.
A Hearology treatment room with its ENT-grade suction unit
ENT-grade suction unitsOur clinical suction units are quieter and more controlled than portable machines, which makes a real difference to how relaxed a child feels.
A clinician using a sterile single-use tip under the microscope
Sterile, single-use onlyEvery tube, suction tip and instrument is used once and then disposed of. Hearology is one of only a small number of audiology clinics in England registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Reviews from parents

What parents tell us

Here's what parents say after bringing their children to see us. Every review comes from a real family.

4.9 out of 5 from 2,815 reviews on Google
See our reviews on Trustpilot
Absolutely fantastic - cannot recommend highly enough (15yr old can hear again). Thank you!
Jen · Google
1 of 10

All five clinics

Find a clinic near you

5 of 5 clinics offer children's ear cleaning

Questions parents often ask

How young can a child be?

We see children from the age of 3. Microsuction isn't suitable for children under 3, so we'd refer you for other options. Young people aged 13 to 17 are booked into our standard ear wax removal appointment at the adult price, and a parent or guardian needs to come with them.

Does it hurt?

Microsuction is generally painless; some children notice the noise or a cool feeling. Many children find the noise the most interesting part. If your child wants to stop at any point, we stop.

Will my child need an anaesthetic?

No. Ear cleaning at Hearology is carried out with your child awake, which is why the appointment is unhurried and why we spend the first part of it getting them comfortable.

Do we need to use drops or olive oil first?

No. Microsuction needs no pre-treatment, which is a real advantage with young children, there's nothing to administer at home for a fortnight beforehand.

What if there's no wax to remove?

Then we carry out a full ear health consultation instead, to understand why the ear feels blocked. We charge a consultation-only fee of £99 and refund the difference from your prepayment.

What if my child will not sit still?

That is completely normal, and nothing to worry about. We'll never carry on if we can't do so safely. If that happens, we charge a consultation-only fee of £99 and refund the rest, and we'll rebook a second attempt, but the second attempt doesn't include the consultation-only refund. If it still isn't possible, we'll refer you for other options.

What should we bring?

Any appointment notes, letters or test results about your child's ears from other health professionals. It helps us build an accurate picture of their ear health history, and the 30-minute appointment leaves time to go through it.

What if it can't all be cleared in one go?

You come back, free, as many times as it takes, as long as the follow-up appointments are within two weeks of the first one. Stubborn wax and sensitive canals are exactly what that's for.

Do I need a GP referral?

No. You can book children's ear cleaning directly. If we find something that should be seen by an ENT specialist, we'll say so and write the referral.

What about teenagers?

Young people aged 13 to 17 are booked into our standard ear wax removal appointment, at the adult price. A parent or guardian needs to come with them, and our clinicians are very experienced at looking after teenagers.

Can I stay in the room?

Yes, and we'd rather you did. A parent in the room is usually the reason a child stays relaxed.

When do you run children's appointments?

Each clinic sees children on set days: London Bridge on Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; Liverpool Street on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; Orpington and Forest Row on Friday; and Oxted on Thursday. You can book online at least two hours ahead.

Request a call if your child is under 3, and we'll talk you through the options. Or call us on 020 3747 4615.

Need something other than ear cleaning for your child? Request a call and we'll advise.

We'd be glad to help.

You can book your child's appointment online in a few minutes. If you'd rather talk it through first, call us and tell us what you've noticed, and we'll help you decide whether it's worth coming in.

Book children's ear cleaning 020 3747 4615