A baby returned from his first family vacation with more than just photos and sand on his feet.
A week after playing at a beach resort, his parents noticed that something was wrong. It was bacterial otitis externa, an infection that does not appear because of the place where the child has fun, but because of the moisture that gets trapped in his ear after swimming. When that moisture does not come out, the skin of the ear canal softens, earwax loses its protective function, and bacteria find the perfect environment to multiply.
The case was not serious and the little one is recovering well with medication, but the scare serves as a reminder. Always dry their little ears after being in the water, avoid letting too much water splash into them, and never submerge them as you would an adult. These are small details that prevent big scares.