As a conscientious parent, you make every effort keep your kids clean, well-groomed and healthy. So what should you do about that unsightly earwax in your child's ear -- remove it, or leave it alone? According to KidsHealth, at-home earwax removal is not recommended, no matter how safe the remedy appears to be. You can damage a child's ear canal or hearing if you attempt to remove the earwax yourself. Earwax is the waterproof lining that protects the eardrum and ear canal and prevents germs from causing infection. Earwax also traps dirt and dust before they can reach and irritate the eardrum. Earwax is made in the outer ear canal. From there it slowly travels to the opening of the ear where it either falls out or comes out during bathing. For most kids, regular bathing is all that's needed to manage earwax. If you notice earwax on the outer portion of your child's ear, it's perfectly fine to wipe it away with a tissue or damp washcloth. But resist the temptation to go after the wax inside the ear. Never put your finger or fingernail, a cotton swab or anything "smaller than your elbow" in your child's ear. Doing so can harm the delicate ear canal and eardrum. It can also drive the wax in further, which could cause infection. Sometimes a child's ear makes excess earwax, causing discomfort or interfering with hearing. Only your health care provider can determine whether or not the earwax should be removed. Earwax removal is generally done in the doctor's office using a curette, graspers or suction. Removal may be uncomfortable for squirmy little ones, but the procedure takes just a few minutes and typically does not require any further treatment. Leave the earwax to nature and the doctors. You can concentrate on drying behind the ears. Read Ear wax: Leave it alone -- it's protecting the ear