Hardened ear wax stuck in ear of 14 year old (sinuses, pain, infections)
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She is Vietnamese and Asians have a very dry kind of ear wax. Also her ear canal is very curved. All weekend we tried every home remedy known to mankind. Then we took her to the Walk In Clinic- unsuccessful. then we took her to pediatrician- unsuccessful. DH just called from ENT where guess what?... Unsuccessful!
She is a real wimp and DH said she basically is responsible for nothing getting done. I'm sure it hurts and she was scared but we can't let that stay in there. I simply could not go or I would have held her down myself.
You aren't saying what the issue is (why she was taken somewhere in the first place) - pain, pressure, etc. I can't imagine that an ENT isn't of any help.
At the risk of being too obvious, what did the ENT say/suggest?
Keep applying the commercial softener stuff. Use cotton or paper plug to hold in until the ear canal is well soaked. Do this frequently (a few times a day) over many days before the next attempt to remove by a pro. This softening may help those who try to remove it.
If you don't like/trust the recent ENT, call others explaining the problem. Also we have had success with an audiologist (but of course insurance doesn't cover them for this...gotta love the folks who make the rules).
Our problem may not have been as severe as yours, but at the same time I would think most/all can be treated with skill and time. Note that we had a situation where an ENT actually punctured an eardrum...so be aware it can get dicey. It did eventually heal (or so we are told).
Last thought...consider calling some Asian ENTs...maybe they have experience with many?
That is a major problem of mine, I have very narrow ear canals as well as scalp psoriasis so I've had bad build up in my ears over the years (even gone temporarily deaf) . I bit the bullet and went to the ENT and my ears were so bad, I neededed to soften them first before going back for the "aural toiletting" which involved manually cleaning out ears with special tools. They were also red and painful from the packed debris so that made my first visit rather painful. After a few visits, things improved and I know see him every few months for a check. It was well worth because I now never get the ear infections I used to get.
Btw do not do water syringing, it may help in the short term but is not good for the ears in the long term.
Btw I quite like visiting my ENT now, he is an amusing Guy and we have a little chat and laugh while he checks my ears. Even on the first visit he made me laugh.
ENT is Chinese. She used a long vacuum type probe but every time she turned on the motor my daughter would flinch and bring her shoulder up which kept the doc from doing the job. She says it hurts and I'm sure it does but if I had been there I think I would have read her the riot act or held her down myself.
Doc said the wax has probably sealed to her ear drum and if it (wax) is pulled it hurts. We are to use the softening agent 2-3 times a day and go back Monday. I will be with her then and will have a good talk with her before we go. This is a kid who is afraid to even swallow a Tylenol!
Doc said her fear is worse than her pain and only other solution is to have outpatient surgery with being put all the way under! No way are we doing that.
Our Korean daughter had bad ear wax problems as a child too. Once I took her to the doctor who used a water pik to blast it out of there. I could not believe what that child had in her ear. It was like panning for gold. She held up a basin to her ear and chunk after chunk of golden hard ear wax came out. I tried doing it myself at home some months later and we got the entire kitchen soaking wet. Strangely she is an adult now and has had no problems since childhood.
How about having your regular doctor irrigate the ear? I have to have this done every once in a while. The water is warm and feels great. What comes out is a lot of built up debris/wax. They use something like a waterpik, an electrically powered tool.
Perhaps they could give her something like valium before the procedure? And/or a pain reliever?
I have a 6'4" son who's afraid of needles and won't unbend his arm for blood tests. He's ok to go in, sit down, acts cooperative, then, just bends up his elbow. This kid was on the wrestling team---no way any of us can hold him down! Finally the doc prescribed 10 mg valium half-hour before procedure. That might sound like a lot, but he's a huge kid. Well, it worked. But I had a little "talk" with him. He's now legally an adult, and I am no longer responsible for his healthcare. I don't even have to carry health insurance, but I do. I don't have to pay deductibles, copays, etc, but I do, because he doesn't have a job---long story. The blood tests were just part of a general physical, nothing specific. I told him I've had to endure many painful, difficult, expensive medical procedures over my lifetime due to severe rheumatoid, and I just consider myself fortunate to be in the "system". From here on out, he is responsible for his own health care. I will continue to pay his insurance, because I choose to do so, not because I have to. But its now up to him to track his own health care appointments, get his butt there, and cooperate with the docs. I don't even want to hear about it If he's drugged up with valium, he can either sit there and wait until it wears off, or call Uber.
Back to the ear wax----don't do too much self-treatment. If the wax is hard, any type of liquid softener might get in behind the wax plug and then can't come back out, creating even more problems. Putting one under anesthesia to remove wax could be indicated in some cases, don't rule it out. Either that or sit on the kid
My dad has anxiety during medical procedures (because of his dementia) and they give him xanax before the procedure to keep him calm. Xanax or valium might be a good idea if the doctor was willing to prescribe it.
It sounds like your daughter's fear is the biggest issue. One of my kids used to be scared of having blood drawn, but she grew out of it. I know your daughter isn't going to grow out of her fear by Monday, but maybe having you there will help.
Ativan will get her to relax. Hey, I don't blame her - I'm the same way about my nasal passages. When I had to get my sinuses probed, I almost passed out - they had to elevate my legs and get me a glass of water.
DON'T "read her the riot act" - all you're going to get is a hysterical child and no solution. It's a fear, not stubbornness - it's not logical and it's not something you can lecture her out of.
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If he's drugged up with valium, he can either sit there and wait until it wears off, or call Uber. 
