![\"pretty](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/bigstock-ear-ache-21614801.jpg\")
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As we head full swing into cold and flu season, this is a common refrain heard by many parents. In fact, earaches are the #1 reason for visits to the pediatrician\u2019s office, and the most common reason that antibiotics are prescribed for kids.<\/p>\n
So, your kid has a fever, he\u2019s grabbing his ear and crying in pain, and you\u2019re wondering \u2013 does he need antibiotics?<\/p>\n
Probably NOT!<\/strong><\/p>\n The first thing to understand is \u201cWhat\u2019s an ear infection anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n The typical scenario is that your child starts off with a cold with runny nose and congestion. She may even start to get better, then all of a sudden \u2013 bam! She wakes up in the middle of the night with a fever, holding her ear and crying in pain.<\/p>\n To diagnose an ear infection (acute otitis media), there has to be a sudden onset of symptoms with fluid in the middle ear, and inflammation (either a red ear drum or pain that interferes with normal activity or sleep). But just because your child has an acute otitis media doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s due to a bacterial infection. Many are caused by viruses and wouldn\u2019t respond to antibiotics anyway. And just because it\u2019s due to a bacterial infection, doesn\u2019t mean it requires antibiotics. Nearly \u00be of all ear infections, even bacterial ones, will resolve spontaneously.<\/p>\n In the \u201cold days,\u201d any kid who showed up with an ear infection would buy themselves a 10-day course of amoxicillin. In this era of antibiotic resistance, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC have issued guidelines for \u201cwatchful waiting.\u201d Observation without antibiotics for 48-72 hours is now considered an option for a child with uncomplicated acute otitis media who is:<\/p>\n \u2022 6 months to 2 years with non-severe illness and uncertain diagnosis; or In the meantime, while you\u2019re waiting and watching, your child is in pain and you\u2019re thinking, \u201cIsn\u2019t there anything I can do to help my child with his pain, and treat his infection without antibiotics?<\/p>\n Why yes! YES \u2013 there is!<\/strong><\/p>\n Natural treatments are AWESOME for ear infections. In fact, treating ear infections holistically has been one of the greatest rewards in my practice. I can literally count on my fingers how many times I\u2019ve had to prescribe antibiotics for acute otitis media in the last 11 years since I started Whole Family Wellness. Yup \u2013 pretty awesome!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In one study, an herbal ear drop containing extracts of garlic, calendula, St John\u2019s wort and mullein flower \u2013 herbs which have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties \u2013 was found to be as effective in reducing ear pain compared with an anesthetic ear drop(1). Another study found that the same herbal ear drop along with lavender and Vitamin E were more effective in reducing ear pain than when those same ear drops were given with amoxicillin(2)!<\/p>\n Individualized homeopathic medicines have also been shown to be effective in reducing pain and the need for antibiotics, and at least as effective as conventional treatments(3,4,5). One study found that an individualized homeopathic medicine was effective in controlling pain in 39% of patients after 6 hours, and another 33% of patients after 12 hours \u2013 that\u2019s nearly \u00be of kids with complete pain control within 12 hours! There is NO antibiotic that is going to work as fast(6)!<\/p>\n What are these natural treatments, you ask?<\/strong><\/p>\n Natural remedies work best when individualized to your child\u2019s specific symptoms, and there are too many specific medicines to list. (In between patients, I\u2019m diligently working to bring you my Ecourse \u201cHealthy Kids Happy Kids \u2013 All Year Long!\u201d as soon as humanly possible to teach you all the remedies you need to know to successfully treat your kid\u2019s ear infection and other common conditions! It will be worth the wait \u2013 you\u2019ll feel like Supermom or Superdad ready to take charge of your child\u2019s health naturally!)<\/p>\n In the meantime, here is my top list of natural remedies that I recommend to treat kids with ear infections safely and effectively.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Unless your child has ear tubes or has a perforated ear drum, garlic ear drops are a must! While you can certainly make garlic ear drops at home, as much as I wish I were, I unfortunately am not a DIY-kinda girl. Garlic can also be very irritating to the skin so you have to be absolutely sure that you\u2019ve filtered out every last bit of garlic from your oil. And with limited time, and so many great ready-made options available, I typically recommend that parents buy garlic ear drops. In our office we carry the Mullein Garlic Ear Oil by Herb Pharm that has the same combination of garlic, calendula, St. John\u2019s Wort and mullein flower used in the studies mentioned above.<\/p>\n Directions for use:<\/span> <\/p>\n Homeopathic medicines work best when individualized to your child’s symptoms, but these are awesome first go-to\u2019s! If you’re new to homeopathy, be sure to check out my previous blog posts What is Homeopathy – Part 1 <\/a>and What is Homeopathy – Part 2.<\/a><\/p>\n Oscillococcinum<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The recommended dosage is 1 vial 3 times over a 24-hour period, preferably at the very onset of your child\u2019s ear infection. The dosage is the same regardless of age and weight. Take the entire vial of tasty sprinkles and suck on them until they dissolve, ideally at least 10 minutes away from food or drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ferrum phosphoricum<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Ferrum phosphoricum is THE homeopathic \u201canti-inflammatory\u201d medicine. Ferrum phosphoricum also targets the eustachian tube, or the ear canal, and helps the fluid trapped in the ear canal to drain effectively and reduces the inflammation that is causing ear pain.<\/p>\n Use Ferrum phosphoricum in a 9C or 30C dilution (the 30C dilution is typically easier to find at health food stores and Whole Foods). Give 3 pellets every 3-4 hours, ideally at least 10 minutes away from food or drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Belladonna<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Belladonna is a great addition to Ferrum phosphoricum when your child has a high fever, is clammy and agitated with a bright red face, screaming in pain, and has a bright red throbbing eardrum. If indicated, you can give it together with the Ferrum phosphoricum, in the 9C or 30C dilution, 3 pellets every 3-4 hours away from food or drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since kids usually develop ear infections after they\u2019ve had a cold or flu-like illness, adding on herbal medicines that I also recommend for colds and flus can be a great addition to what you\u2019re doing above. There are a variety of very effective herbal medicines that work amazingly well to help your family recovery faster from colds and flus. These are a few of what I have found to be incredibly helpful.<\/p>\n Windbreaker<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n Windbreaker is a Chinese herbal formula by Kan Herbs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fever and flu are caused by an attack of \u201cwind,\u201d so this formula knocks the wind right out of your system! It works GREAT for colds, flus and fever! This is my \u201cgo-to\u201d for me and my kids. No, I won\u2019t lie \u2013 it\u2019s a bit bitter, but it\u2019s definitely worth a try. My kids have been taking this since they were infants, and love the taste. But if your kids are a bit pickier, you can mix with honey or a bit of tart juice like pomegranate or lemonade to mask the flavor. The typical dosage for toddlers is 1-2 droppersful 3x\/day; for older kids 3 droppersful 3x\/day, and for teens and adults 4 droppersful 3x\/day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pelargonium sidoides<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pelar-what? Also known as Umckaloabo, this traditional African herb can significantly shorten the duration and severity of colds and other upper respiratory infections. It has been found to improve macrophage activity, kill bacteria and viruses, and improve the ability to clear mucous from the lungs. We carry an alcohol-free syrup of Pelargonium sidoides called V Clear. It can also be found over-the-counter as Umcka Syrup by Nature\u2019s Way. The recommended dosage is \u00bd tsp 3x\/day for children ages 2-6 years, 1 tsp 3x\/day for children ages 6-12 years, and 1.5 tsp 3x\/day for children over 12 years and adults.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the easiest and most effective acupuressure points to use for fever, earaches, and immune strengthening is Large Intestine 4 (LI 4). LI 4 is located on the top of the hand, in the webspace between your thumb and index finger. Put your thumb on the point, and your index finger on the palm side of your child\u2019s hand. Squeeze your thumb and index together, make small circular motions with your thumb with firm but gentle pressure. Aim for several minutes or 100 circles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Essential oils don\u2019t just smell great, they have amazing therapeutic power! One of my favorites \u2013 a true panacea \u2013 is lavender. Lavender essential oil helps to relieve inflammation and pain and reduce the stress and anxiety associated with earaches \u2013 for you and your child! You can diffuse the oil into the air by her bedside, put a few drops into her bath, massage onto her feet, or better yet, massage right into LI4 when you do acupressure as she drifts off to a restful sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While these natural remedies work GREAT for most kids, there may be times that despite your best efforts, your child ends up needing antibiotics. Definitely see your child\u2019s doctor if he has a fever for more than 4-5 days, looks very sick to you, is continuing to feel worse or isn\u2019t any better after 2-3 days on the above treatments.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 2 years of age and older without severe symptoms or with uncertain diagnosis.<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s the evidence that natural treatments can work for ear infections?<\/h3>\n
Garlic ear drops<\/h3>\n
![\"HBP-00411-1\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HBP-00411-1-300x300.jpg\")
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\n\u2022 Warm the bottle by rolling back and forth in your hands or running under warm water (cold drops may make your child feel dizzy)
\n\u2022 Put 3-4 drops in the painful ear(s) 3-4x\/day
\n\u2022 You can have your child lay down with that ear up for a minute or so, or put a little piece of cotton in that ear to keep the drops in
\n\u2022 Repeat 3-4x\/day and as needed for pain<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Homeopathic medicines<\/h3>\n
![\"oscillococcinum\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Oscillococcinum-300x186.png\")
By now you may have seen Oscilloccinum lining the shelves at Whole Foods and other stores. This is THE homeopathic flu remedy, but also a MUST at the very beginning of an ear infection, which often starts as a flu-like illness. Studies have shown that taking Oscillococcinum at the onset of flu significantly reduces symptoms and shortens the duration of illness(7,8).<\/p>\n![\"ferrum-phos\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Ferrum-Phos-300x197.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Boiron-Homeopathic-Medicine-Belladonna-30C-Pellets-80-Count-Tubes-Pack-of-5-0-2\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Boiron-Homeopathic-Medicine-Belladonna-30C-Pellets-80-Count-Tubes-Pack-of-5-0-2-300x197.jpg\")
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Herbal Medicines<\/h3>\n
\n![\"windbreaker2\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/windbreaker2-300x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"vclear\"](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/Vclear-201x300.png\")
<\/p>\nAcupressure<\/h3>\n
![\"LI](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/LI-4-300x225.jpg\")
<\/p>\nEssential Oils<\/h3>\n
![\"Lavender](\"https:\/\/healthykidshappykids.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/bigstock-Lavender-Herb-And-Essential-Oi-3408134-300x199.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat if your child ends up needing antibiotics?<\/h3>\n