How to give medicines: ear drops

This leaflet gives tips about how to give ear drops to children.  Leaflets on individual medicines are available on the Medicines for Children website.

Watch our short film on giving children ear drops - go to Types of Medicines.

This leaflet has been written specifically for parents and carers about the use of medicines in children. Please read this leaflet carefully. Keep it somewhere safe so that you can read it again.

Ear drops

Medicines for the ear are available as ear drops.

Before you give ear drops

  • Use the ear drops only in the affected ear, unless your doctor has told you to treat both ears.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after giving the drops. 
  • You may need help from another adult to give ear drops to your child. One of you can hold the child still and one can give the drops. You may find it helpful to wrap a small child or baby in a blanket to help keep them still.

How to give ear drops

  • Shake the bottle and remove the cap.
  • Your child needs to have their head tilted to one side. (They could rest their head on a pillow.)Giving ear drops
  • Put the tip of the dropper just inside the ear hole. Try to avoid touching the nozzle on to the ear. Gently squeeze the drop(s) into the ear.
  • Your child should keep their head tilted to one side for a minute or so.
  • Wipe the nozzle with a clean tissue after each use.
  • If you think the drops didn’t go into the ear, you can repeat the process but do not try more than twice.
  • Try to avoid the tip of the bottle touching any part of your child’s ear if possible.
  • Wash your hands again with soap and hot water.
  • Repeat the above steps for the other ear if necessary.


Publication Date

7/12/2011

Copyright Disclaimer

Version 1, December 2011 (April 2012). © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: December 2014. 

For details on any sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk

We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. It is important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of medicines in the UK, and may not apply to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.