Ear Infection - nipping it in the bud - suggestions?

[Sha-nanagins]

It wouldn't hurt to have an ENT evaluate. My older DS had no ear infections until he was 2 1/2, then he couldn't get rid of them. Turns out it was due to a combination of allergies and enlarged adenoids. We were able to avoid surgery/tubes by treating the allergies and moving about 20 miles away from where we were living, which turned out to be a great thing all around.

We also found a book title No More Antibiotics, written by an osteopathic doctor. It discusses treatment/prevention of ear infections by changing the diet and using osteopathic massage. We tried those things - whenever DS got a cold, I would start the massage treatment, and he usually would not progress to an ear infection.

With DS2, we've found that keeping homeopathic garlic oil eardrops (which are recommended by Dr. Sears, by the way) on hand is a good thing. Unfortunately, DS2 is not one to let us know his ears hurt until he has a raging infection. But we have been able to avoid antibiotics twice by using the oil as soon as we figure it out, and they do seem to help shorten the duration of the infection and soothe the pain even if antibiotics are needed.

[badmisterkitty]

Both of my girls have benefited greatly from chiropractic care for ear infections. I could talk a blue streak about how much our chiro has helped us over the years. She saved us from needing tubes for our older DD after 4 rounds of antibiotics did nothing.

[kathryngraces]

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! That helps a lot. It's nice to know I have options. I'm pretty ambivalent about antibiotics, and want to try to do what I can to help this be the last round (if possible). I don't think we need a referral to see an ENT for a second opinion, maybe we should just do that... but it's an hour away (sigh). I've never been to a chiropractor--thought they were just for backs? What do they do for ears?

Searching online, I read about garlic oil, but wondered if that was just for outer ear infections. I'm a little worried about putting anything in his ear.

Sha-nanagins: I am a little worried that this round of antibiotics won't do the trick, and I won't even know b/c DS isn't acting like he hurts at all. Does the book describe how to do the massage?

Thanks again!

[badmisterkitty]

The chiro adjusts the spinal bones of the neck, the adjustment "frees" the nerves that control the ducts from the ear to throat so they are able to work properly, the ear drains, the infection clears, and that's that. It's usually a series of 2-4 adjustments over a week or two. My chiro is able to measure progress by using the magnifying light up tool thingy to look in ears.

Chiropractics isn't up everyone's alley, but it's been a huge health advantage for us. I always recommend because we've just been so pleased with the more or less immediate results.

[ck510]

I would say because he has his first one now (vs earlier) it's probably allergy related, either seasonal or food so try something like clariton (can they at that age?).

I get ear infections frequently so I always carry a bottle of Wally's ear oil with me especially while traveling (I always get them bad after flying) and after an hour or so I feel normal. Once when dd was 11 months old she got one on vacation. She had a high temp and wouldnt stop screaming and pulling at her ears ( I used it on her so we wouldn't have to wait in the ER) and within 10 min she was smiling. A few hours later her fever broke and she was back to normal.

[kathryngraces]

Grrr! The doctor's office forgot to phone in the prescription, so the ambivalently anticipated antibiotics weren't even there! Grumble grumble. Thinking this must be a sign to try something different, I called around and got DS an ENT appointment for Tuesday. Tomorrow, I might try to see if I can find something earlier, and I'm going to call the only chiropractor on our insurance plan to see if I can get him in. I noticed DS pulling his ear this afternoon, so maybe it's starting to bother him. He's not a little puddle of misery like he was when he first got the infection, though, so that's a relief. And I started his probiotics today. I'll report back our success (I hope!). Thanks, mamas!

[kathryngraces]

Thanks for the advice, mamas. DS finished his antibiotics a little over a week ago, the probiotics have got his digestion back on track again, the chiropractor was very gentle and non-invasive, he saw a specialist who reassured me that this was not necessarily going to recur, and I bought the book. Yesterday, the doc looked at his ear and said all looks good. So, here's hoping we're off the ear infection train...

[firststella]

Originally Posted by z2akids Avoid cups/bottles in bed as well as pacifiers if at all possible.

Why pacifiers?

[EmilytheStrange]

Originally Posted by firststella Why pacifiers?

The constant sucking tends to cause problems with the ears.

[lockemessmom]

You could try a few drops of warm breast milk in the ear. Doesn't get much more homeopathic than that! We tried it with my son after a round of antibiotics and it worked.