Final answer:
To assess the inner ear of infants and children younger than 3 years, pull the pinna downward and backward. This practice allows for effective examination of the ear, including visualization of the middle ear and eardrum, and overall auditory health.
Step-by-step explanation:
In infants and children younger than 3 years, assess the inner ear by pulling the pinna downward and backward. This technique helps straighten the child's auditory canal, allowing for better visualization and examination of the ear, which includes the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.
The human ear is an intricate system facilitating audition. The outer ear captures sound waves and funnels them through the auditory canal to the eardrum. The eardrum then vibrates and transfers these vibrations via the malleus, incus, and stapes to the cochlea, initiating the mechanical process that ultimately results in the perception of sound.