Ear Infections In Children, Part 2 - Some Remedies And Options

In Part 1 of this 3-part article I discussed what are ear infections in children. I showed you symptoms to look for but in this article I will offer some remedy options.

What are the best remedies for ear infections in children?

Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol products) and ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin products) can offer some relief and reduce fever if it is present.

Aspirin, however, is not usually recommended.

Warm compresses or a heating pad applied over the ear can reduce the pain.

If you don't want to fever reducers like that, you can try massaging your child's ear. Use gentle pressure along the back of the ear and down the back of the jawbone. Push and release the flap of skin in front of the ear several times. Place your palm over your child's ear and rotate your hand in all directions.

Homeopathic Remedies

There are a number of homeopathic remedies, which can effectively relieve ear infections such as:

• Belladonna often works well for fever and red face or hot moist skin.


• Ferrum Phosphoricum is great for treating ear infections with a fever.


• For earaches due to teething, Chamomilla has proven effective.

Prop your child's head up while in bed to promote drainage and relieve pressure in the ears.

What about Anti-biotics for ear infections in children?

For many years, antibiotics were prescribed for nearly any diagnosis that showed signs of infection. Today doctors are more careful with prescribing antibiotics. It is important to be aware of the limitations of antibiotics in general, which:

• won't help an infection caused by a virus


• won't eliminate middle ear fluid


• may cause side effects


• typically do not relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that

An article from CNN Health says this:

Giving children antibiotics for ear infections does little to speed their recovery while raising the risk of some side effects, according to a study published in 2010 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study found that 80 out of 100 otherwise healthy children would recover from an acute ear infection within a few days if given medication only to relieve pain or fevers. If all 100 were given antibiotics instead, 92 would be better in the same period, said Dr. Tumaini Coker, the study's lead author.

"But we would also expect three to 10 kids to develop rash and five to 10 to develop diarrhea, [from the antibiotics]" said Coker, a pediatrician at Mattel Children's Hospital at the University of California-Los Angeles.

Coker noted that the increased number of children in the study who benefited from treatment with antibiotics was similar to the number that could be expected to get side effects from the antibiotic treatment.

But even after antibiotic treatment for an episode of acute otitis media, fluid may remain in the middle ear for up to several months.

"Clinicians and parents need to know the benefits and side effects on how to manage their child's ear infection," Coker said.

So, you can see that in our drive to help our children overcome their pain from these ear infections, you may want to consider carefully if antibiotics are really going to help.

Finally, other options include antihistamines or nasal sprays which may provide some assistance, but discuss that with your doctor.

In my next installment, Ear Infections In Children Part 3, I'll tell you how long ear infections can last and what you can do to minimize the risk in the future.

Important disclaimer: The information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.