How should ear drops be administered to children aged 3 years and under?

• A. Back and down for 3 and under
• B. Back and up
• C. Tilt head to the affected ear
• D. Pull ear lobe downward and forward

Answer: (A)

When giving ear drops to very young children, the goal is to straighten the ear canal so the medication can enter smoothly. For children 3 years old and younger, gently pull the pinna downward and backward. This motion straightens the canal because the ear canal in young kids angles upward, so this grip helps the drops reach the canal rather than looping outside.

After placing the drops, keep the child’s head tilted for a short time to help the drops stay in the canal. The other techniques—tilting the head in an odd way, pulling the pinna in a different direction, or using the older child/adult maneuver of pulling up and back—do not align the canal correctly for this age group and can reduce effectiveness or cause discomfort.