Motrin for Ear Infection - 1 year old boy with first ear infection

Cassey,

My son (now 23) had ear infections from the time he was 4 months old till he was 1 1/2. With his first several ear infections, he was on antibiotics for the 10 days. Once the antibiotics were finished, his ear infections recurred. Then he was on a 30-day dose. Again, the infections occured once he was off the medicines. We put tubes in his ears at 11 months, and they fell out too early. The only thing that permanently stopped his ear infections was taking him to my chiropractor. The chiropractor we used has since retired, and the woman who assumed his practice still cares for us. She also cares for my two grandsons, ages 2 and 3. She gave my 2-year-old grandson his first adjustment when he was literally hours old. Her name is Dr. Hill, and her office number is ###-###-####. Good luck!

My middle daughter can't have antibotics because she is allergic to something in the medicine. She gets put on a tylenol/motrin regiment and we also use Similasan Earache Relief for the pain. They are drops that you put in their ears and it helps with the pain. I bought it at Target.

Hope he feels better soon.

Cassey,
One of the best things I've ever found for ear pain is to put a single drop (from an eye dropper) of hydrogen peroxide into an ear, and let your head rest on a towel with the affected ear up while the peroxide bubbles (snap,crackle,pop) slowly away, leaving only water and the oxygen bubbles that escape during the bubbling process. It might work to do this when he is deep asleep. I've done this on my own ears a number of times, and though the noise is a bit disconcerting, (it doesn't bother me at all, but might be a little unsettling to a one-year old...so maybe this is not even possible to do at that age,) but it had no complications and quickly eased whatever was going on in there. It's supposed to help stop a cold starting up as well, as some cold infection sets in through the ear canals. I'd suggest you try the peroxide routine on yourself first just to get a sense of whether you think he could handle it or not.
Above all, everything I've read about the current problem with developing resistant strains of bacteria these days refers to the need for cutting way back on giving kids antibiotics...that antibiotics only help with a bacterial infection, and do nothing at all for a viral infection. So consider that long and hard before you get into a pattern of using antibiotics for ear infections.

My daughter turned one in September and she had her first ear infection shortly after she turned one. She went through three different antibiotics before I decided that enough was enough. It just wasn't working. So I did some research and discovered that a milk allergy could be the problem. Cow's milk can make the tubes in the ear swell and then the fluid cannot drain and it will get infected. So I put two and two together and she started getting the ear infections right when she switched from breastmilk to cow's milk. So now I am all dried up and decided to put her on soy milk and no ear infections since.

It is a bad cold/flu season, but just something to consider. I have also talked with the pedi and ear infections can be related with cutting certain teeth. I know it is just pitiful to watch them go through so just hope I gave you something to work with. Just do what feels right to you and you guys will be fine.

Have they given him the ear drops for pain? That majorly helps my kiddo when she has an ear infection. On her first birthday, her fever was 104.2, and at the doc, I was told that she had a double ear infection, had a cold, and was teething molars! Poor kid! She was ill for about a week or so, but I'm not sure if it was from the ears or the combination of all three.
I would call the doc back just be sure it's not something else.

Generally the infection starts to go away after 24 to 48 hours on the antibiotic. Also, my older child (5) had an ear infection in December and our pedi gave us some drops that numb the eardrum and help with the pain. I would check with the doctor for progress on the ear infection, to make sure there is nothing else and to see if they can prescribe the numbing drops. My daughter was waking up crying, but said her ears did not hurt after we put in the drops.

We had to try serveral different antibodics with my son before one would work. Then ususally after we got it working the next time i would say..lets do this one..and bang wouldn't work. don't know why but try something else.

Hi Cassey,

My daughter got an ear infection on a Friday night in the middle of the night. I couldn't run to the pharmacy at 1am, so I looked in a book of natural remedies. They recommended garlic oil, which is just a couple of cloves of garlic smashed with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. The next day she was better. I treated her with garlic oil until Monday, when I was going to call the doctor, but she was without pain or fever by then, so I didn't call. Since then, I have treated any ear problems with garlic oil. We swear by it. I have since asked my doctor, and she said if it works, keep using it. She does not like to overprescribe antibiotics.

To apply the garlic oil, I dip a Q-tip into the oil and swab their ear. I leave the garlic oil in a little bowl on the counter, cover it with plastic wrap, and keep using it for the duration of the illness. They start to smell like an Italian restaurant, but that's the only noticeable side effect. ;-)

I always say, if it won't hurt and may help, give it a try. This time it worked!

Peace and Joy,
M.
www.yogapotential.com