Thanks for the replies everyone.
My son's ears are more waxy than the average person's, hence this thread. We've already made a visit to the doctor, which was the result of q-tips and not so gentle touch of my mother in law. One ear was so full of wax that the doctor could not see his eardrum, and the other ear only had a very thin passage open. The resulting "surgery", which was really just a flush, cost nearly $100 and I'm not paying for it again if I can prevent the problem at home.
I've decided to call my doctor in the morning, ask her about candling, and see what she suggests in general. (which, like with any medical thread, is always a smart thing to do
)