Ear Infections

Hey S. my name is D. Hunter I have 4 children and have had my fair share of ear infections. my youngest children have never been immunized and I always talk to thier peditrician about natural remedies What I used for my children is called garlic mullen drops its a clear liquid that you put directly into their ears it worked for my children You can get it at any natural pathic health store.amoxicillan is not good for children of young ages my childrens doctor never once considered it it has always been the garlic mullen drops.good luck.D.

Hi S..

How frustrating and awful to have your little one in constant pain! Repeated antibiotics are exactly the wrong direction to head, because it only makes the situation worse. Each round of antibiotics (literally "anti-life") kills off MOST of the bacteria that are causing the problem, but you can never completely kill ALL of the bacteria. The ones that make it are the strongest, which quickly breed more bacteria--all of it stronger and more resistant to the antibiotics. Follow this course a few more times and you have just witnessed evolution! A homeopath who works with asthma once spoke to my midwifery class and told us that these stronger bacteria eventually work their way into other regions of the body, and are strongly implicated in developing asthma. In fact, he said when he homeopathically treated asthma, as the asthma symptoms cleared at first there was often an ear infection. He kept treating with homeopathy and that would clear as well.
I would get to a naturopath or homeopath right away. Someone suggested chiropractic treatment as well.

Meanwhile, for some home based relief, here are a few things we have used with lots of success:
- Grapefruit seed extract. The brand is called Nutribiotic and you can get it at any store that sells natural health products. Blend about a teaspoon with an equal amount of pure olive oil and warm gently. You can add a mashed clove of fresh, organic garlic as well. Lay your little one's head on a warm towel on your lap, with one ear up. Use a medicine dropper to put the warm oil slowly in that ear, gently rubbing around his ear to help it go in. Let it sit for a few minutes--just keep talking soothingly to your boy. Then trade sides--knowing that most of the oil will drip out of the first side, but enough will stay that it has long term effects.

Both the grapefruit seed oil and the garlic have antibiotic effects, and it is all very soothing and pain relieving as well--even though it stinks a bit!

- This is an old pain relief trick from my Jewish partner's Romanian grandmother, Baba...cut an onion in half and steam both halves with the cut side down. Once the halves are somewhat soft, wrap in a clean dish towel, leaving the cut side open and facing up. Tilt your son's head over the upfaced onion so the steam can enter his ear. It relieves pain very quickly--and also has mild antibiotic properties.

-This is something you can get from a health food store. Beeswax or paraffin "ear candles". They are basically long tubes of wrapped, thin wax, kind of like a conical straw. You lay your son's head on a pillow with one ear up and make sure he is relaxed and still. Very gently insert just the tiniest bit of the tip of the ear candle into the outer part of his ear--don't push, but don't be afraid, you won't cause any damage. Then for the dramatic part...you light the other end of the candle (it's usually several inches long, so it won't burn anything, but you do have to have him hold still). The warmth draws up through the "straw" of the candle, and creates a vacuum that literally pulls all the gunk out of his ear, including the bacteria. I've done it myself, and it feels very soothing and warm--very relaxing. And, it worked! The swelling and pain, and the worst of the infection, cleared up immediately. I did this with my daughter when she was 4 and it worked beautifully.

Good luck!

Hi, S.! My name is S.. I have three children ages 9, 4, and 2. May I ask what you use to clean your house with? I know it sounds strange but when my 9 year old was a baby until he was 2 or three, he had constant ear infections either double or just one but eventually had to have tubes put in his ears. He also had respiratory problems quite often. they also told us this was "normal". I used bleach water to clean my floors and any surfaces he would crawl on as well as 409 and Lysol to clean the rest of the house. When my 4 year old was 6 months old, I switched to only non chemical products and neither him nor my two year old have EVER had an ear infection or any other ailments for that matter. I believe it had a lot to do with the products I had in my home when my oldest was little. I thought I was doing good by him to "sanitize" everything but their little systems can't take all those chemicals. I hope this helps. As for the pain, the doctor gave us some drops to put in his ears and that worked great. Don't know if you have those or not.

Do you smoke around him? If you do, STOP! You are causing the ear infections! If not, then good for you.
I don't know about antibiotics (I'm allergic to most) but for the pain, hold a warm rag on his ear for as long as he will let you. I don't know why this works, but it does. If there is any way to heat up his pillow of have something warm on which he can lay his head at night, that will help with the pain and the drainage. It's gross, but it works!
I e-mailed a friend of mine who lives and is a nurse in Clarkston to ask her about naturopathy in the area. I will let you know when I find out.

Ask your doctor about putting tubes in your child's ears. If he says he doesn't need them ask him what his criteria is? If you aren't going to an ENT doctor you might consider finding one.
I am a nurse and someone who grew up with chronic ear infections. Good Luck. By the way try a warm heating pad under the affected ear, warm not hot.

I know it is hard to believe but a chiropractor can really help with this. My daughter is allergic to a lot of things including amoxicillin. I took her to a chiropractor at around 1 year old for her ear infections and took her for occasional "tune ups" so they wouldn't come back. I was skeptical, but it worked. You need a really good chiropractor though, someone experienced specifically with babies.

Dear S.:

You are correct in sensing that the over use of amoxicillin will create a diminishing return; becoming less effective.
Suggestions:
1) Garlic Oil will assist with infection.
2) A natural amoxicillin product by Standard Process called ALBAPLEX.
3) Better yet your son needs immune support. THYMEX will give him this. Also by Standard Process.
4) Do your best to cut out all Yeast loving foods ie; SUGAR in all and any of his foods.
I can order these for you. Also I would be glad to share with you how to create yourown Garlic Ear oil and how to use it.

R. Dunkle M.S.,L.M.P., R.C.
###-###-####
Blessings to you

Check the reason he is getting sick. My firstborn was on antibiotics almost all of his first year. We finally discovered he has dust/mold allergies. As soon as we moved, he wasn't sick anymore.

S.,

Hi, I used to work at a day care and one thing you can do that will not get rid of the infection is to put a warm washcloth on his ear to provide some pain relief. My brother ended up getting tubes put in his ears when we were teenagers and it is not common but I have known a few babies to get tubes put in also. You may consider getting a 2nd opinion from a doc.

hope this helps.
N.

I recommend that you change doctors. No child should continue to get ear infections. Continuous use of antibiotics are the worst thing for children. They build up a resistance to them. Try a Naturapathic Doctor, who will find out what is causing the problem & try to eliminate the problem. Not just treat the ailment. Milk products cause a lot of allergies in children. Check with Bastry University in Kenmore about a good Naturapathic Doctor. S.

You can buy probiotics at PCC or Super Supplements in the refrigerated section.

Hello-I have been going through the same thing with my 15 mnth old. Constant pain, sick, and always on meds.
Well she finally had to get tubes in her ears which have made a big difference-I highly recommend them. I was very skeptically about getting them but since I had it done I have a brand new baby!!!! I highly recommend Dr. Rone not sure if I spelled it right but he is located at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. Take care!!!

My son also had ear infections frequently when he was young. He ended up being allergic to amoxocillan AND ceclor(sp?). He had tubes in his ears 3 times, and they finally took out his adnoids when he was 7. Guess what? NO more ear infections. I would try to find a doctor that doesn't jump on the antibiotics so readily, and is willing to think about alternatives (even if it's minor surgery). Make sure you get his hearing tested once a year or so to keep an eye on any possible hearing loss. By the way, that son is now a 22 year old Marine who hasn't had an ear infection in years!

Hi S.,

We take a product called 3 LAC. It is great and treats the yeast that overuse of antibiotics can cause. You can check out www.candidafree.net as well as www.globalhealthtrax.org
It is amazing how doctors ignore candida. 3LAC is completely natural and really a Godsend for our family.

Blessings,

K.S.

6 ear infections in a year is the what they want before they will consider tubes, but if you have already passed this or are close you should see a ENT. THis can severly affect speech as well, I know too well so it is important to do everything you can to keep the fluid down so that hearing and speech are not affected. The doctor can also prescribe ear drops for pain.

I would definately be concerned with my doctor if he continuously prescribes antibiotics. You should call around and get a second opinion. As for the pain, I would try putting a soft towel in the dryer and then letting him rest his head on it after you take it out. Just make sure it's not too hot for his face.

Often times if you take your child to a chiropractor (a good one) they can adjust your child. Alot of times they have infections from birth because there was too much presure applied on their head and neck during birth. The wellness doctor (chiropractor) can go in and adjust it with no pain and no drugs.

My son had chronic ear infections as well and his pediatritian couldn't help. I took him to

Jan Zemplenyi
###-###-####
1260 116th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

He is an ear, nose and throat specialist. He put tubes in my sons ears that did not need to be removed with a second surgery. They dissolved or something. It was an outpatient surgery, done in his office, very minor, very easy (for me). He never had a single ear infection again.

I know that it is not good to give your child a bottle in the crib. Their is a medicine that the MD can give to numb the pain in the ear itself. If this doesn't help, Homeopathy is a great, safe way to go. Continuous antibiotics is NOT good!

My niece just went through this same exact thing, she ended up having to have tubes put in and all of that :( After months and months of the doctors saying "we don't know, we don't know" and months and months of being on antibiotics and never getting better someone suggested allergy testing. Turns out she is so extremely allergic to dogs that even when someone visits who has a dog she has a reaction. They had to get rid of their dog and get their house specially cleaned to get rid of the allergens and she is finally better! Best of luck with everything!

My son had frequent ear infections also. By the time he was 18 months, they put tubes in his ears. He still got infections,but the best thing is that the tubes let the infection drain out of his ear rather than causing him the pressure and pain of an ear infection. Yes, you need to change meds from time to time. We had three different ones he used. This can also cause scarring on the ear drum and he may need a hearing test in a few years. He is grown now, but still has sinus problems as we all do here, so maybe if you use more of a decongestant more than an antibiotic, it may prevent so much infection by not allowing it to settle in. Babies have very short channels in their ears which causes the plugging, but they get longer as they grow.

You may have received many postings on this already. Chronic ear infections are most often a sign of an allergy. Usually to dairy products. You can test this theory on your own and remove milk from the child's diet substituting for soy milk or have the child seen by an allergist to confirm the source of the allergy. Good luck!

Not sure what area you live but try any natural health store. Here in Anchorage, Alaska we have a WONDERFUL store calles Anna's Health Food. Anna is SO knowledgable. Try that route. Also, I would check ingto a natural path.
Question?? Do you or your boyfirend smoke?? If so, I'm not going to tell you to stop, but do stop completely smoking around the children. Yes, even in the car. My sister smokes. She THINKS she's not smoking around them if her car window is cracked or open. Have you ever sat in the back set when the person in the front was smoking? YECK!!!

Good luck.

My son also use to get a lot of ear infections so I know what you are going through. It was so bad with my son, that the Dr. said if we couldn't keep it cleared up, that we were going to have to put tubes in his ears. Well, I was really NOT ok with that! So he gave me a prescription for Claritin (which you don't even need anymore) and said it could be allergy related and maybe we could control it this way and avoid the tubes. I still wasn't happy about the prospect of needing to give my son drugs everyday for the rest of his life- but I thought it would be a good idea to learn if it really was an allergy problem.
He was just over a year old at this time, and I had BF him until about 11 mo., but we had been giving him formula in a sippy cup for a few months by this point. Well, we had only been on the meds a very few days, when I happened to be talking to my aunt, and was telling her how concerned I was about this problem. Didn't like the meds... didn't want the tubes... when she asked what kind of milk he was drinking. I told her he mainly drank formula. She asked, but is it Soy? I said, No- I had never had any experience with Soy what so ever!
She started telling me all these awful things about cow milk and gave me a book called "Mooove over, Milk". I won't go into all of that here- you can do your own research and make your own decisions- but the bottom line was, I switched my son to Soy formula, and then Soy milk when he was a bit older. And I am not kidding you: He Has Never Had Another Ear Infection Since! (He just turned 8yrs old this month!)
Wether he really has an allergy to cow milk or not, I don't know. He seems to eat ice cream and cheese just fine so I don't know what the exact condition is. But after a couple of weeks of him being on Soy milk AND the Claritin both- his runny nose and ear problems all cleared up. I told the Dr. I wanted to take him off the Claritin and see what would happen. The Dr. told me he would get sick again. The "cow milk thing" was just an old Wives Tale. Well, I needed to see for myself. The Dr. advised that if I was going to insist on this nonsense, that I needed to wean the baby from the claritin for 1 - 2 weeks and not just stop it cold turkey. I don't know why- but he insisted. So we did... smaller doses.... every other day... etc., until we were off of it. And the ear infections NEVER came back. He gets a seasonal cold occasionally, he is in school everyday with other children so that really can not be avoided entirely; but we have never had any more ear problems. Of course the Dr. wouldn't admit it... he said it was probably just a coincidence that my son just happened to outgrow the problem at the same time! LOL! BTW- that Ped is now our "eX-Doc"!
So that is our story. I'm sorry I can't help you with alternative pain meds or natural cures but I do understand your fears about the antibiotics. It is just a suggestion to try. There are several kinds of Soy (or Rice) milk available so you just have to test them out until you find one he likes. Even if you and your boyfriend don't switch over- you should know in a couple of weeks if it is going to help your son or not. I hope it does- It was a gift for us!
I would be interested to know what happens if you do try this. Thanks for reading!

Hi S.!

I have a 3 1/2 year old and and 18 month old (another on the way too). My 18 month old has chronic ear infections. He has had 7 in 8-9 months now. They (doctors and resources that I have read about this topic) have said that if they get 7-8 infections in a 12 month period this is not good news. Our pediatrician (Kirsten Crowley... she's located on the St. Vincents Campus) has sent us to an ENT. We saw the dr about a month ago and he has advised us to allow him to put tubes in our sons ears which is what our pediatrician suggested as well. Did you know that your son could actually have adenoid problems and that is why he is getting frequent ear infections. This is quite common in children. Adenoids are like tonsils but they are for the nose instead of the mouth and as you get older they gorw into your skin and disappear. Does your son have sinus issues off and on or constant? The more ear infections you son has whether it's truly just because he doesn't get dreainage from his ears or because maybe he has an adenoid issue, his immune system will weaken the more he gets them. My pediatrician tries to suggest things that are more natural methods first and then if it's severe like multiple infections she then suggests the more medical route. Our ENT really thinks that our son has inflamed adenoids which are keeping his ears from draining any fluid (infected or not) and it's causing our son to have eczema issues which is really, really bad. My son also has bad allergies, has a balence problem, isn't walking and he has some speech issues. All of these issues have been linked to ear infections or adenoid issues. Our son is having surgery to check his adenoids and place tubes in his ears on the 11th of April. I am more than happy to tell you how it goes.

I would certainly seek a second opinion about his ear infections. They are common in children but they aren't normal and it usually means there are other problems going on with your sons immune system. I would also seek the opinion of an ENT and a natural doctor. It's great to get as much information from all of the specialties as possible so you can make an informed decision about your sons future treatment. I would be happy to give you the name of our ENT doctor that specializes in children and a natural doctor if you need one.

I hope that some of this info helps you and feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns :)

Hi S.
Reading your post about your 2 year olds ear infections and Pneumonia, Ear infections that happen every 2 months, IS NOT NORMAL..... once or twice a year is more like close to normal.
It looks like you might want to find a DR that has your best interest at heart and not just the botom line of getting pashents in and out as fast as posable.
For the ear infections, STOP letting him use a Binkie, The sucking causes the estation tube to pull in dust, lint, and backteria. Limit the amount of time that he has to suck on something. I use to use a diluted mix of Hydrogen Peroxide and Distilled water. Flush the ear or swab with a Q-tip. if that does not work than add Alochall to the diluted mix. If that does not work than put a sprinkel of Goldenseal Root on a Q-tip and swab the inner ear. Let sit over night than flush. If you are not shure about these things try it on your self first.
Pneumonia: Mullen is used for all air way problems. Smoking the Mullen is the best way to use it. Tea will work it just takes longer. For the 2 year old use the Mullen like smudge and make shure he breaths the smoke in. If the tea is used it will need to be drank 4 to 6 times a day.
If smoke is used do it 3 times a day for 3 days than 2 times a day for 2 days than once a day until the infection is gone.
One of the most powerful herble antibiotic that I know is OLD MANS BEARD it is a light green moss that grown on pine trees. If use this, it is used as a tea, it is very pepperie and only a 1/16 to 1/8 cup 2 times a day for 3 days and than once a day after that until the infection is gone.
It would be a good idia for you to do the reserch on the for-mentioned herbs and find a herb DR or Chinease medicine DR. Do the reserch on the web about herbs there is a lot of good info out here. Go to a new age herb store and they have a lot of info on DR and the use of herbs.
Swansonvitamins.com is a good place to get info on herbs and there prices are great.
I hope this helps
S.

hi this brings back memories went through exactly what u are going through same responses from doc's & same anti otics,never getting anywhere.finally we went to a ears,nose throat specialist,he recommended tubes,had it done,had ear plugs made so she could swim,bathe,etc.was well worth geting the plugs.we always thought it was because my great grandbaby was on welfare that we never got the proper help.i think these baby doctors or family doc.'s that treat these infections should be reported.please do whatever u can so your child can get off antibotics.i have to say that it did damage to my grandbaby by giving her so many of them.it's like the doc.'s don't know what else todo to treat them.meanwhile we suffered many a nights going through the high tempts every month or two just like u are going through.i pray this helps.there is a answer,we finally got one.a little late but it was help.M.

Hello S., Please check out food allergies for your son. If your current doctor won't run them (usually blood tests, or you can do the food elimination diet..ie:.don't give dairy products for 4-6 weeks, then give a lot, and note the reaction)...find a doctor who will, or a naturopath. Candida can also be a cause of frequent ear infections, etc, which can be determined with a stool test. Find the doctor who works with you to get your son well, and off antibiotics. Good luck!

I would advise to speak to your pediatrician about putting possible tubes in your son's ears. And to make sure to have his hearing tested if possible. My 4 year old had the same problems when he was younger. We had tubes put in his ears when he was almost 2. I tried to prolong it but I didn't want him to continue on antibiotics. Also, we are lucky enough that our pediatrician was my husband's pediatrician. So he knew the family history and knew that my husband had the same problems as a child. My son is getting ready to turn 5 in May and hasn't had another infection since the procedure. Good Luck and hopefully this has helped a little.

Have you thought about taking your son to an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor - a specialist (get a referral if you need to)? That many ear infections isn't good and it may be that he needs "tubes". The tubes are placed inside the ear canal to keep the fluid from building up in the ear. This is what causes the ear infections and the horrible pain. When I was two (many years agao), I had tubes put in and they stopped my ear infections and my need for constant antibiotics (fyi - I am allergic to all of the penicillin drugs now). Also, the daughter of a good friend of mine was getting really bad ear infections - about 2 per month or whenever she was done with the antibiotics. She got tubes on Monday about a week after seeing an Ear Nose and Throat doctor. Just something to think about. I know it is hard to have people tell you what you should do with your kids - but second opinions (with a specialist) can be a really good thing to do. Hope this helps.

Hi S.! My name is R. and I work from home under contract with an International Wellness Company out of ID. I help them build their customer base. They do have vitamin supplements for children, one in particular is to help children who suffer from chronic ear infections. Might be worth trying. If interested you can call me at ###-###-#### or email me at ____@____.com Luck!!! I hope you find something for your little guy soon...

~R.~
www.MomsOfferingMore.com

I have a daughter who is now 2 1/2. She had ear infections almost ever other month as well from the age 1 to almost 2. This year (winter) we only had one. So I think that in our case she kind of out grew it. As for the pain we rotated between tylenol and motrin. Good luck on finding natural methods. I honestly never thought about that. As far as the immunity to amoxicillin not sure the likely hood of that but I had a girlfriend who that happened to her girls and they found another antibiotic that workes just fine. Keep going it will all work out.

S.,

I feel your pain and your childs as well. Amoxicillin is that the only antibiotics he has had? If so maybe get a different one to help. Or find a speciallist for the eyes,ears,nose and throat.

There is something different going on that your son is having a hard time getting rid of or picking up. Is your doctor giving your son the drops to put in his ear that will help get rid of the pain?

My sons have had many ear infections and myself have had many. I know from first hand experience that it many infections can cause problems with hearing. If you have not seen a speciallist I would see if there is a problem with his ear cannels see if they are two small to pass any wax and or drain fluids.

When washing his hair don't summurge his head under water use a cup when rinsing have him cover his ears with hands or get him some ear puddy from your doctor to keep water from getting in his ears. If you have problems with water in the eyes give him a washcloth to put over his eyes.

These are some of the tricks I used when my boys where little now they do it on there own and ask for a washcloth every time they shower or bath. I hope something I or others suggest help you and your son.

Sincerely

A.

I don't normally respond to any of this, but I would take him to an ear, nose, throat specialist because he may need to have some tubes put in his ears to drain them. They outgrow them eventually, but it will help. An ENT specialist will be able to tell you what would be the best treatment option.

hi S.

my son went through the same thing when he was that age. we ended up taking him to a naturopath and she helped us find out that he had intolerances to eggs and sugar. he's not allergic, but his body has a hard time processing. we have definitely noticed a difference since we've mostly eliminated those items from his diet. when he has them, he gets dark circles under his eye and, i truly believe, his immune system is compromised.

it wasn't an easy cure and he still does get colds, but hasn't had an ear infection in a long time. plus, he gets over his colds much faster.

everyone is different, but i would highly suggest a naturopath to help find out why her body is not at it's strongest. it'll help the ear infections, plus just keep her healthy for the rest of her life.

good luck!

S.,

I am an Audiologist. I STRONGLY recommend that you get your doctor to referr your son to an ENT. First, children can have chronic ear infections for several reasons so it is important to find the underlying cause instead of just trying to cover it up with antibiotics. Things such as allergies, abnormal sized or shaped Eustation tube and many more. With that I would also talk to your child's DOC or the ENT about possible allergy testing to see if there is an underlying allergy causing his adnoids to flare up and close off his eustation tube. Hearing is very important at this age because it is a crucial time in language development. Ear infections cause fluid build up in the ear which causes a temporary decrease in hearing and if he can't hear certain sounds very well it can lead to a language delay if it is not treated. Hope this helps and good luck.

My son also had a TON of trouble with his ears, one ear it lasted 6months before it went away. There are pain drops that our doctor gave us, it goes right into the ear, and really does the trick. You might ask about it, might also think about tubes... I wasn't going to even think about going there, but after talking to a few people and friends that got tubes in there kids ears I was sure that was the way to go. I was worried about him becoming immune at all the med's... So far we haven't had anymore ear trouble.
Hoping your little one gets some comfort and you too

S., in 1974 our family moved to Texas for a couple of years. During that time we had to adjust to a new climate and many ear infections in our youngest daughter. While we were there an older woman told me of a formula used for "swimmers ear" that she got from a ear, nose and throat specialist. We've used it many times over the last 34 years.

The receipe is as follows:

Two parts vinegar (NOT cider vinegar,but clear white vinegar)
to one part rubbing alcohol.

To remember: Hold up two fingers like a "V" (then count the two fingers)(This reminds you to use two parts vinegar.)

Turn the two fingers down and and think of "A"...This reminds you to use one part alcohol.

I mix up this formula place it in a bottle with a lid, label it and keep it on hand. (Keep OUT of reach of children)
This mixture has been a tremendous blessing. Just drop a couple of drops in each ear. Then in a few hours do it again for a day or two until ears are better. It is especially good to use if you are in the pool often.

B.

Hi S.! My son went through the exact same thing and finally ended up getting tubes which was the biggest blessing! I actually used those numbing drops you put into the ear. They work great! As far as the ears clearing up on there own I am no help. Depending on what's causing the infections, they may not clear up on there own. My son's never did and after trying all different kinds of antibiotics even the big shots they give 3 days in a row, nothing worked so they referred me out to a pediatric ENT. She was wonderful and getting tubes solved all our problems. I think the pediatrician waited a little too long to refer us out and now my son gets speech therapy trying to get him where he needs to be. Don't let it go too long before suggesting tubes to the doctor. See what they say. Ask your doctor to prescribe the numbing drops; they do wonders. Good luck! L.

My daughter, who's name happens to be S., had chronic ear infections when she was little. She developed allergies to amoxcicillin and septra because she was on them so often. What happens is that their ear canals collapse and trap fluid in the ear drum. At 18 months, she had a minor surgery where they placed tubes in her ears to allow drainage. She has not had a single ear infection since and she is now 10 years old. The other amazing thing that happened was that she could hear clearly for the first time in her life and she became incredibly vocal.

As a side note, S. also has an intolerance to dairy. She can have small amounts now, like cheese on a sandwich, but for a year and a half she could have absolutely no dairy product what so ever while her body "detoxed" from it.

Hope this helps!
~T.~

Hi my two year old son has had chronic ear infections. We got to the point where the antiniotics did nothing. I finally talked to a naturopath and did a little research and found out that anitbiotics don't really work on ear infections.

So now I give him garlic ear drops that I buy either at PCC, Whole Foods or Super Sopplements and believe it or not he has not had to go to the doctor since. AMAZING!

I am ectastic especially becuase I felt like I was at the doctor every week and actually I was.
Good luck, oh yah I give him two drops in ear ear either two or three times a day. Even though he doesn't have an infection now I give him some as a prevetative since he is prine to them. I guess the garlic kils the bacteria.

Hello! My doctor told me that a child should not have more than three ear infections before the age of 2 years old. I have tried the garlic ear drops and those have helped. I have heard from anyone that ear tubes are FABULOUS and the only way to go. I would absolutely find a specialist and get them for your little one if he is prone to ear infections. You don't want to keep giving your child antibiotics, so not good for his immune system. Hope this helps! A.

You can get many natural cures at your local health food store and they will have dosage instruction to make it easy. Garlic has been a long time and very effective cure. I think you should conceder getting a new doctor. Yes it is somewhat "normal" for young children to get ear infections, but not constantly and it sounds like he doesn't stay very healthy. Many times babies who are not breast fed are prone to ear infection, but this is not always the case. Perhaps you should take him to a naturopath. They are wonderful for finding the cause of the problem and not just treating the symptoms. If money is and issue or insurance won't cover it may not be feasible. Get a second opinion, your instinct is telling you this is not normal. You can ask around and do some research to find a good doctor in your area. Good luck.

S., I had so many ear infections growing up that one ear drum expoded twice and the other expoded once. They say it has to do with the way your ear drums drain out flat and not down, more so as a child. You might want to go see an (ENT) Ear Nose and Throat DR. they specialize in this sort of thing. My reg. DR has told me that it might even be a cause of alergies and that they are really bad this year. My daughter who is almost 3 has had quite a few also. To help releave the pain we have her lay with the bad ear down on a heating pad, this seamed to healp me as a child and seams to help her too. Another thing that the DR.s have proven was that living with a heavy smooker caused me to be quite sick a lot. The only plus side to this was when an ear infection hit, my dad would blow smoke into my ear and it would ease the pain almost instantly. My daughters DR gave us some drops to put into her ear so we do not have to use oral medication for pain (Aurodex Otic Solution), it works for us, ask your DR. I did have tubes growing up and tonciles removed and this is something we might have to look into for my daughter later down the line when she is old enough to understand and not before. Oh and just a quick note: Even though my eardrums exploded and healed, as of my last hearing test my hearing was perfect. If you don't trust your DR never be afraid to get a 2nd opnion. It is your right you must always feel comfortable and understand what they are saying to you,

The heat is a good idea. With my son as a baby we had to get tubes, 6 months he was sent to a specialist & we found out at 5 months old he was deaf, from the fluid in his hears, that was what was causing infection after infection, the antibiotics would help but as soon as he was off the ear infection came right back. The tubes were a blessing as they had to drain his ears, one had to do it on its own as the fluid had hardened. Had to do it once more & he never had ear infections again. I am just so thankful that is Dr had decided to send him to a specialist as he would have been so far behind in everything. I wish you & him the best, it is so hard when they are sick all the time.

Take him to a specialist - ear, nose and throat doctor. My daughter had the same problem. We opted to put tubes in her ears which eliminated the problem.
Good luck!

I am not an expert in this area but did have an experience with one of my students at school. I had heard through Paul Harvey that the Science Medical Journal had done studies showing that ear infections were connected with tonsils and adnoids. My own son and daughter did not have any problems with ear infections so I hadn't thought much of it. This year one of my students was constantly complaining about his ears again. The mom had stated he had ear infections when he was younger. After hearing about Paul Harvey's commentary she took her 10 year old to an ear specialist. He checked out the tonsils and ear connections and they decided to have surgery. The boy has been great in school ever since. I don't know if that will help as this boy is quite a bit older. I agree with you being worried about his ammunity if he is always on it. Good luck! P.

hi there - I am the ear infection queen... we just finished with inf 29.... (that is 29 between all 4 kids)

First, you have a BAD DOCTOR.... fire him...or her... If you need a good pediatrician I HIGHL recmmend Universoty Place Pediatrics in fircret... I have been through tons of pediatricians and Dr Rone, Debushcerre and Struthers are GREAT!!!!

Yes, a god doctor would be 1) switching the type of antibiotic prescribed with each ear infection... Amox, Omnicef Augmenton... etc.... they CAN become less effective the more they are used..... 2) A good doctor would talk to you about a reerral to an ENT for tubes after oh... hmmm.... 5 -6 double ear infections.... I should know - I have 4 kids.... all had between 4 and 9 double ear infections before we got tubes. Once the tubes were in there were little to NO ear problems....

Fire your doctor, find a new one, you can switch, it's not hard. They work for YOU. and they dont know it all.... believe me.

A Truely god pedi will listen to you and spend time with you and partner with you on the care of your child. BAD pediatricians spend no more than 5 minutes in the room.. have no patience with you child and make you feel like an idiot.

This sounds like the son of a friend of mine. She switched him to soy milk -- cut the regular milk completely -- and the problem cleared up. I have no idea why, but it worked!

Seek another Dr. the Dr I go to refuses to overperscribe antibiotics for my children and I am quit thankfull. most ear infections will run there course but to minimize pain and suffering for the child I would recomend Samilisan (sp?) its an ear drop that you can find at the grocery store and give them tylenol for the pain. If your child is having that many ear infections then I would recomend tubes.

Hi, I am a mother of three girls all grown and I am a grammy to two boys, 4 & 15mo. All of them have experienced intense chronic ear infections. Ride the tide. What helps us is the comfort stuff. our favorite is to take a damp wash cloth or small(hand size) stuffed animal and put it in the micro for a few seconds enough to heat it to warm.Or put in dryer until warm. hold it over the ear and the warmth will help. Don't use if there is a temp. just use a cloth to cover the ear. the air flowing in the ear can hurt like a wind tunnel. Keep under dr. care. after 5-6 infections a year inquire about tubes. It sounds bad but really helps.
sounds like you are great loving parents, keep strong take time (10 min.s) for you. MJ

One reason that little ones get repeated ear infections is that their eustacian tubes are horizontal, as their bodies grow, the eustacian tubes elongate and become somewhat vertical. What this means is that they don't drain, bacteria gets trapped and infection developes. For minor immediate pain relief you can ask for a prescription of Auralgan. (taken with tylenol or motrin) Auralgan is a thick analgesic oil that you warm and drop by a dropper into the ear canal. (then gently massage around the ear to soothe and work it in) It is not a cure but it can get you through the night until you can get in to see the doctor. I wish I had more to give you, it was so hard to have a kid that was so vulnerable to ear infection. The good news is that after age three or so the episodes of infection decrease. Also, DON'T let anyone smoke around your kids! It contributes to the problem in many ways.Good luck!

My twin boys were notoruious for getting ear infections from the time they were 6 months old. The same thing-- get them off antibiotics and they were back on. They had such a high tolerance for pain we didn't know they were sick (they never got fevers) until everything was draining out of their ear.

One thing that helped us was seeing a chiropractor. It didn't take them all away, but it sure lessened the amount and severity.

We had to wait to see an ear/nose/throat doctor until they had a certain number in a certain period of time. Ask your pediatricain about that. We also discover that their ear infections were related to seasonal allergies. We had tubes put in which helped, and then had Zyrtec for the bad months. Eventually one had to have his tonsils and adnoids removed. Things are much better now.

Hope things get better soon. It's horrible when your children are so sick.

L.

Hello Savanah!

I know a great remedy with a natural product. Give me a call! ###-###-####

K.

My daughter, now 12, got chronic ear infections as a child, just like you described. She still gets horrible earaches to this day, despite having tubes put in her ears when she was 6. One of the pain remedies that works for her is a hot wet washcloth on the affected ear. Also there is an ear drop that the doctor can perscribe that will numb the ear canal. Laying at a 45 degree angle or higher is also helpful. Hope these will help you.

Try finding a homeopathic store or nutrition center. Several years ago as an adult I had a recurring ear infection that would go away and come back and I was able to walk into a place here where I live called a nutrition center and the guy there gave me some homeopathic remedies which cured it in ten days and in the last 10 years it does come back after I have had a cold but I always treat it with homeopathic remedies and it is gone in a few days. I don't know if you have any homeopathic doctors where you live but taking your son to one may be to his advantage. I battled with antibiotics and my ear infection for 18 months before using the homeopathic remedies to cure it. Good Luck and I hope this is helpful to you. R.

One of my son's is on his second set of tubes. He had the same problem as your son and it took them years to figure out he needed tubes. You may want to ask for ear drops I don't remember the name of them but they worked for my son and his pain. Hope that helps!

Have you tried chiropractic care? I am a firm believer in the benefits. It actually has prevented surgery in some cases. Check into it.

I'm really surprised that when dealing with what sounds like extremly frequent ear infections and pneumonia on top of it that the doctor has not considered the possibility of tubes. My nephew had a very similar problem almost every month, and ever since he got his tubes not only have they gone away, but it has also helped greatly with his speech because the fluild is no longer built up behind the ear- which can create the child to hear a more muffled sound. And you are right in your beleif that he could build up immunity towards the amoxicillin, to prevent this make sure you always finish the ENTIRE course of the treatment, even if he seems fine. Have you considered a second opinion? Or possibly firing your current doctor and just finding a new one? You are usually able to set up an interview with a possible new doctor, and I would encourage you to interview a few then make your choice on which one may seem best for your family needs. Good luck and I hope your little boy get's to feeling better soon!

I too have a 2 year old who has frequent ear infections, in his first year he had over 16 ear infections. he just got over a bad one this weekend without antibiotics. i give him all natural products that i keep here at home. they work amazing and are good for him. if you would like to know more please contact me at ____@____.com B.

My son (2 1/2) had ear infections (usually double) solid from November to May of last year... was on antibiotics quite a bit and we were finally referred to an ENT at Virgina Mason's listen for life center. He ended up getting tubes in May and had what they call "glue ear".... which they say is like walking around with your fingers in your ears. He just got his first ear infection since his tubes a few weeks ago when he got the flu. Something to consider is how much the ear infections might affect his developing speech. If you're not confident in the treatment your son is receiving or the advice you're getting (or not getting for that matter) you really should get a second opinion. I will also mention that we tried chiropractic treatment and saw an osteopath. The chiropractic treatments didn't help (and I am ALL for chiropractic treatments) and the osteopath was worthless... waste of money (he charged me to tell me there was nothing he could do). I could have gone to one that specializes in young children with ear infections - but I was at my wits end and didn't want to spend any more money on things that didn't work.

You might try the Similisan Earache Relief or the Hylands Earache tablets...

If you can check out the web site www.mercola.com, it has helped me with so many things and been such a lifesaver for me! In the search column type in chronic ear infections and it will bring up all of his past articles and tell you which foods to avoid eating etc. I wish you luck, You must be very frustrated, just keep an open mind to homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine as well and it should prove helpful, good luck, L.

My daughter was the same way but when we finally had her ears tubed and adnoids taken out the problem went away! No more ear infections!!

Hi S.!
I am A. Swift and I live in The Dalles area (actually up Eightmile Canyon). I have a friend in the Portland area that has four girls that all had problems with ear infections, got tubes, on antibiotics a lot of the time. A friend shared a patented nutritional supplement with her and her kids no longer have any ear issues, asthma and allergies! That has been 5 years ago!
If you are interested, i would be happy to introduce to my friend and you could hear about what she did. call ###-###-####

This sounds EXACTLY like what my sister when through. It was over a year of antibiotics and ear infections for my little nephew. I'll tell you what I told her. Have him checked for food allergies - specifically, soy, egg and milk.

She discovered her two-year old was allergic to egg whites and milk. Now that she doesn't feed them to Russell any more, VOILA! Result? No more ear infections.

Ear infections really aren't that normal. Call a Naturopath if they are excessive. My daughters (together) only experience 1 which was treated with homeopathic substances. So they have never had antibiotics.

My oldest daughter, who is now 12, had ear infections just about every other month when she was an infant. They put tubes in her ears eventually. The tubes didn't stop the infections from happening, but they did make them easier to detect and they didn't hurt her any more because there was no pressure build-up! She eventually just out grew them by the time she was 2 1/2 or 3.

I would get a second opinion. It sounds like he might need tubes. There were two things in your post that caught my attention. First, the doctor should not be prescribing the same type of antibiotics over and over because he will develop an immunity. He should try to prescribe something that your son hasn't take in the past couple months. Second, there is something that you can give for the pain besides Tylenol. Unfortunately it's a prescription and I don't know the name. But they are drops that you put in the ears, and they are "numbing" if you know what I mean.

It appears that you have already received multiple responses. I hope that you are getting some good advice and help. Here is my two cents worth. My daughter had chronic ear infections from the time she was three months old. It was actually probably the same ear infection that just never went away. We got to a point where she was 10 days on antibiotics and 10 days off, 10 on and 10 off. It was insane. We finally asked to for a referral to an ear/nose/throat specialist. At 9 months we finally went the route of having tubes put in. It was horrifyingly scary at first because she was so small. The procedure took all of 10 minutes and it was a miracle! Tubes may not be the answer for you but I would suggest seeing a specialist. It sounds like your child is having more than his fair share of infections. Good Luck!

i would get a second opinion about the ears. i do know that if they are continual like that then they are probably not getting over them with the antibiotics, he may need something stronger. to help with the pain i was told to use something warm on that ear and we had to use motrin to cut the pain. for that you will have to get a dosing amount from an advice nurse. we just went a round of colds with a bad cough that turned into ear infections for both my daughters.

My kids have had their fair share of ear infections and we started using Similasan Ear drops for ear infections, they also have one for pink eye. I am not ususally a huge homeopathic fan, but we have 5 children and this is cheaper than a copay and the medication copay and the time sitting in the Dr.'s office and it has worked wonders for us. Hope it works for you!

It's very possible he is having rebound ear infections. With the constant borage of antibiotics the virus that causes the ear infections is likely becoming resistant to them. It can be so aggravating when doctors over prescribe the use of antibiotics.

There are many things you can do naturally to help relieve ear infections. As long as there is no fluid from the ears you can use garlic oil drops (you can find recipes online or buy them premade from health food stores). To relieve the pain you can warm a pototo to hold on his ear. Another cause of ear infections can be too much water in the canal, when my son suffered ear infections it was usually from 1)bath water not fully draining and 2)laying down to drink a bottle. After bathtime I would put 2-3 drops of rubbing alcohol in his ear to make the water evaporate faster. For bottle time I would put him in a semi-upright position so the fluid would not drain into his canal.

I agree with other posters who say see a naturopath and chiropractor. This many ear infections, this much antibiotics and tylenol are just not good for a growing child.

No idea for natural cures, but you should see a ear nose and throat specialist. Also, Amoxicillin, is a old, weak antibiotic, they should try something better. It is possible that his body is not truly getting over it, and the infection is still there just not visible.

First of all, if your son's Dr. isn't telling you what you need to know, you need to figure out if you are asking the right questions. Then you need to decide whether a different Dr. might be the solution. The Amoxicillin obviously isn't working very well, so requesting a different medication like Keflexin might help. You might also consider having tubes put in his ears. The procedure takes all of 15 - 20 minutes - it is an actual surgery, but there are absolutely NO risks at all, and the child is almost "cured" of ear infections. My 3 year old has tubes in her ears and hasn't had an ear infection in over a year. I hope this helps! H., mother of Ethan(4) and Emma(3).

Hi,
My son was in a similar boat and was only 19 months old. Only difference was he never showed symptoms. No tugging at his ears, no change in appetite, no unexplained crying...nothing. His doctor actually told my husband and I that if we weren't in tune to his behavior, his ear drums would have ruptured. And despite the almost constant infections, his development was off the charts. She recommended we meet w/ an Ear/Nose/Throat physician (Dr. Hertler, Providence) who was fantastic. He evaluated and informed us that while our son's ears were clear, that he would want to re-evaluate if he had more than 2 ear infections over the winter season. Well, our son ended up with one persistent ear infection that would just not go away. So again we met with the ENT who recommended tube insertion this point. Two weeks later (2/5/2008 @ Legacy Emmanuel) we were at the hospital for the procedure. It took less than 15 minutes start to finish. My husband said that he noticed a difference within 2 days of them being inserted. No one wants to think of their small child having to have surgery. Especially my husband and I after having lost 3 before this one. But I can honestly say that from start to finish the visits with the doctor, pre surgery and post operative experience were well handled. They actually take into account the separation anxiety factor and give the child medicine to lessen the stress for both them and parents. We got to go down to pre op area with him and meet the surgical team. Since the tubes have been in, he has not had any infections despite that cold he recently got over. Which previously would have set him up for a 10 day antibiotic treatment.

My son had that problem too around his first birthday and finally they gave him a stronger antibiotic and it knocked it out completely. He'll be two next month and he hasn't had one since then. You might try asking for a stronger a.b. and see if that helps?

I wonder if he could have food allergies?

Hi there,
I feel your pain.... I went through the same with my 15 month old... she had 2 in January. I posted this same question to the board, and learned that putting a baby down flat with a bottle can cause the mucus from the milk to collect in what they call a third ear, which puts pressure on the ear tubes. so not sure if you are doing this... I started to elevate my daughter with a huge bed pillow under her sheet, and let her drink all but about 2 oz of her bottle when I put her down... also, garlic juice... I went to the supplement store and bought some natural ear drops and an immune system builder that I've been giving her 2 times a day in her bottle. Last week, she started to get another ear infection and we tried the drops and within 24 hours she was much better but had a little cough and cold through the weekend. Hope this helps and if you have more questions, please feel free to just ask. Just when we think we are doing everything right... you learn you could have done something better... UGH :-)
J.

Hi S.- My almost 14 month old daughter has been seeing a chiropractor since she was 2 weeks old. She has only been sick once since then. I feel very blessed that she is doing so great. I have a wonderful chiropractor in the Tacoma area and would recommend him to anyone. He has been in practice for many years serving the community. Dr. Milasich. I hope that you find success in whatever choice you make to care for son. It is so difficult sometimes to find the right path. God Bless!

S., My daughter would get an ear infection once a month from about 1yr until she was a little over 2yrs old. The ear infections were caused by her teething. Every month she would begin teething again which brought on a large amount of congestion (big green snot, coughing, cold like symptoms) which caused drainage which caused the ear infection. My pediatrician said this is something they see until a little after 2years (between 2 and 3 years, every child is different). This is the time frame that they finish teething. He said that if after 2 she continued to get ear infections then we might need to look into tubes in her ears. This never happend. After she turned 2 and was finished teething she didn't have another ear infection. But I would definately follow my doctors instructions on how to deal with your childs situation. Just some helpful information that sounds similar. Oh, my son who is 2 and 1/2 years younger than his sister never had an ear infection. just to emphasize the point on every child is different. Good luck. C.

they sell just probiotics in the health food section at fred meyer. The one i got is berry flavor and comes in liquid form. I add it to juice and my daughter sucks it down. Hope your babe gets over this! mine is in the middle of the same situation right now.

I just read through some of the responses and was surprised that nobody mentioned food allergies. If a child is dairy intolerant then the body will build up a supply of mucus and especially in the ears it will not be able to drain because there is a constant supply and bacteria grows in mucus. My daughter was four before a doctor figured out she was lactose intolerant and immediately took her off all dairy and she is nine and never had another ear infection. Good Luck!

/a doctor explained to me once that it has to do with how a child's ear develops. There is a tube that has a curve in it, and fluid can collect there. The canal straightens as the child grows, and so they outgrow ear infections. My daught and son and I had 23 ear infections one year when we were living outside of Detroit. The doctor told me it was the ear infection capital of the world. It had something to do with the high humidity of the area. Good luck with your situation. Tubes are a good idea if your doctor suggests tubes, go for it. I had a student who had learning disability because of the hearing loss caused by ear infections. He couldn't hear well enough to learn phonics.

S.,
I have 3 boys, much older than yours. Two of them were very succeptable to ear infections. My oldest, now 22, had ear infections every month it seems until he was about 4. I also at that time was a smoker. The docs said that if you smoke in the car and roll the window down, the cold air goes right in their ears. My youngest, now 8, had perforated eardrum episodes, until we finally were able to get tubes put in at 2 years old. I quit smoking 17 years ago, so I know that isn't the issue with him. Your doc is probably right, I think some kids just get them. They do usually clear up on their own, but some require antibiotics. My youngest was on them for a 6 month regimine until he finally put in the tubes. Now that I look back, it was a time that I really bonded with both of them. All they wanted was mom. Good luck and any advice I have would be, if you smoke-DON'T, and just lots of love and hats in the cold air. P. in WA

I've worked in chiropractic offices for 12 years and have seen many children respond to that type of treatment. I know of three kids that never had ear infections again after a few visits! It's worth checking out, very gentle, and covered by almost every insurance carrier. Good luck!

Chiropractic and diet changes can make a world of difference. If you live in the Tacoma area, I can refer you to a wonderful pediatric chiropractor!
S.

My son also had ear infections. He would just get over one and another would start up. I had him in and out of the Dr. office 2 and 3 times a month. With some investigating Dr. and I discovered that my nephew {I babysat him everyday] had tubes in his ears and had constant colds. The tubes helped my nephew feel good but he was contagious. I stopped babysitting him [at Dr.s suggestion] and my son has only had one ear infection since. He is now 28.Hope this helps

My daughter had the same issue and we finally ended up getting tubes put in her ears. After the tubes, she went from having a new ear infection every 10 days to maybe one or two the whole year. I would recommend that you ask your doctor for a referral to an ENT to find out more. You are right that it is not "normal" for kids to have back to back ear infections and that so much antibiotic can lead to issues. Before we got the tubes, my doughter went through many rounds of antibiotics and we have had 2 negative results. One is that the only one that still works on her is Augmentin - all other antibiotics are pretty ineffective. The other is that antibiotics can interfer with the formation of teeth. My daughter's baby molars are soft and yellow and the enamel did not fully form. We had to get crowns on all 4 of her back molars - not a fun thing to do with a 5 year old! I am hoping that we stopped the constant antibiotics early enough that her permanent teeth wll be ok. Anyway, you are right to be concerned and the best peron to give you a good answer is an ENT. Ours is Dr. Sie at Children's in Seattle and we love her. We have also seen other doctors there and the whole department seems to be excellent. Good luck!

Ask for a referral to an ENT doctor. (Ear, nose, throat)
Dr. Pulliam is one.

Hi S.!

We have gone through this with my daughter who is now 16 months. She was getting ear infections every two months since birth. When she turned one, we thought about tubes and even did a consult and had the surgery scheduled. We decided to postpone the surgery for now because of something a doctor said about milk. It's not an allergy exactly, just that milk causes mucus production and if ears don't drain well to start with, this can really be a problem. So we took her off milk and cheese (and she stopped nursing so she wouldn't get the cow's milk I consumed). She LOVES soy milk and hasn't had an infection for about three months so we think it is working! It is a little bit of work (you wouldn't believe what has milk in it!) but if it works, it is so worth it! Good luck.
Lilli M

I had this problem when I was a child and it was from swimming all the time. Eventually they removed my tonsils and adenoids. Same occured with my oldest son...tonsils and adenoids removed. When you bath him do you have him sitting up or laying in the water? Sometimes too much moisture stays in the ears. If this could be the problem, I would suggest a little witch hazel on a q-tip applied just around the opening of the ear. Might help. I have sat up many a night and walked the floors with a crying little boy pulling at his ears. You might want to go to an ENT..they are specialists.

I was just reading an article about how often doctors prescribe antibiotics for ear infections and it's usually unnecessary.
For my son we have started putting a couple drops of garlic oil in his ear about 3 times a day at the first sign of ear infection. (fussy and pulling ear.) Usually by the end of the day he is all better with no fever. You can get this oil at your local health food store. I swear it's the best cure ever. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and then you can use the stronger stuff for REAL sicknesses that need cured instead of ear infections. Hylands also makes ear ache tablets that seem to help some. Good luck, it's terrible when our little ones don't feel good.

Get some fresh ginger and some sesame oil. Grate some of the ginger and put in cheese cloth. Squeeze the juice into a small bowl, or container. Add an equal amount of sesame oil to the ginger. Mix well and put small amount in metal spoon. Heat over burner, carefully. Feel when is warm, not too hot, you don't want to burn the ear. Drop 2 drops in each ear, the good one first. Let set a moment before turning head for other ear. Works great! I did this after the doctor said my son had an ear infection. I didn't give him the antibiotics, just the oil a few times a day. After a couple days, I forgot to keep doing it, because he wasn't complaining any more. We had our follow up visit and it was all cleared up. My doctor said he didn't know how, but it worked. Blessings,
J.

PS: I just saw your follow up part. They make probiotics in capsuls and liquids. Here is one brand and what they offer. There are others out there too.
http://renewlife.com/Kids/

was this your pediatritian? if it was I would take him to a ear nose and throat specialist. My son had constant ear infections when he was young. My specialist put tubes in his ears.It is a very minor procedure. they are put under for no longer than 5-10 minutes. It is a day surgery. He was about your son's age 2. They last about a year it drains the ear and prevents ear infections. They only down side of the tubes they can't get their ears wet. He had 2 sets until the age of about 5. I hope this helps you.

I unfortunately don't have any useful help, just support. My oldest son had the same issue for the first two winters of his life. We just had antibiotics every month for 6 months, then would fine until winter and start the cycle again. He out grew it. But we try not to go to the docter now unless absolutely necessary because I am concerned about whether he had grown immune to the various and asundried antibiotics he was on. He is now 13yrs old.

lay the ear down on a heating pad or hot water bottle. Also inquire about tubes in the ears, I was very hesitant anbout them till I actually looked at one and saw that it wasnt that big of a deal. My son hasnt had an ear infection since. Good luck.

My son started getting ear infections at the age of 14 months, and got 5 in a seven month period! Our Doctor was ready to put tubes in, but I looked into different avenues. I now take our son to the Chiropractor once a month and he had only had one ear infection in 6 months, and I think that was because he already was sick with something else and his immune system was down. Our Dr. supports the chiropractic and I know for me it has worked wonders and also has for my 2 sister-in-laws, and we have 10 kids between the 3 of us! It is worth a try if you are not against alternative medicine!

My 2 year old (will be 3 at the end of the month)also has gotten frequent ear infections. It seemed like he got one a month for over a year then they up and stopped. But my dr. sayed that if the coninued they would put ear tubes in. You may want to ask about that!!

When my husband was about that age he had a similar problem. Come to find out he was having a reaction to cows milk and that was causing the ear infections. They took him off of milk until he was almost five and it went away. Some kids are more sensitive than others to the hormones in the cows milk. Maybe try him on soy milk for a while and see if that solves it. (Our 22 mo old loves the Chocolate Soy milk). Hope this might help.

My godson had chronic ear infections until his mom took him to receive acupuncture at about 3 years old. He has not had an ear infection since and he is now 13! And as for getting probiotics, you can get them in a pill form that will dissolve in their mouth at any health food store. Good luck!

Hi S.,
Your poor kiddo! =0( How awful. =0( A couple of suggestions: you can take them or leave them. One, make sure your son is eating yogurt daily and taking a good probiotic to combat the antibiotics. Anytime anyone is on antibiotics, it's important to increase these. We use a fabulous brand of probiotic that comes in a powder form we sprinkle on our son's yogurt and he loves it! It doesn't help with the pain (we just use Tylenol, too), but it will help protect his insides big time. Second, if I were in your position, personally, I'd get a referral for an ear, nose, and throat specialist and take him to one. They will either confirm what your doc is saying, or be able to offer you, hopefully, more detailed info.
Best of luck to you and let me know how he's doing (I have a 20 mo old boy with his second double-ear infection in the past three weeks, so....),
L. A. =0)

This will take away your babies pain and clear up infection
half rubbing alcohol half vinegar (any kind although apple cider or rice wine vinegar doesn't stain)
use one of those little suction devices used to remove babies nose mucus wiggle ear around so it gets down there
This clears up swimmers ear as well

My son will be 2 on May 5. When he was about 5 months old he started getting ear infections every month. My husband and I finally decided when he was 11 months old to have the ear tubes put in. It was the BEST thing we did. He was a happier/healther baby and he has not had 1-ear infection since Feb. 07. I would highly suggest going to your pediatrician and asking for a referral to a ears nose and throat doctor and see what he or she thinks. I have no regrets what so ever! Also, the procedure only takes like 5 minutes, it was unreal. I hope your little one feels better soon!

Hi S.,

I have two little ones under the age of 3, but neither have had much trouble with ear infections. However, my girlfriend's oldest child used to get them all the time. She took her son to their family chiropractor (sounds scary, I know) but it totally did the trick! He was very young at the time, but the doctor did some very gentle, minor adjustments which helped the extra fluid drain out of her child's ears and cleared them up within 24 hours with no antibiotics.

Just a thought :) Best of luck for your little guy!
~ K. W

Do not immerse your child's ears under water. Either swimming or washing hair or just playing in the bath. Children's eustaian tube is straight - a direct tunnel to the ear. If a child under the age of 6 gets water in their ears, than the water can run directly to the ear drum, and this can cause ear infections. After the age of 6, the eustaian tube has slowly become an upward tunnel and this is no longer a problem. (I routinely used 'swim ear' in my kids ears. Applied while they are sleeping. 'swim ear' evaporates any water in the ear cannal. You do not want to apply if your child already has an infection. I use 'swim ear' on myself also, after I go swimming, every time.)

Do not let your child get a cold. Keep him away from sick people. This is easier for a SAHM. The link between the ears and the nose is direct, and cold germs that get into the ear can cause an ear infection.

Furry pets, pollen, feather pillow, and dust can also cause problems with ear infections. Get rid of any pets and house plants. Keep your son away from furry pets. Do not vacuum or dust while your son is around.

Strong smelling chemical cleaners or perfume can also cause problems.

Look at your environment, see what causes your son to sniffle, then eliminate that from his life.

Do not make your child blow his nose really hard. This can encourage ear infections.

Do not expose your child to second hand smoke. This can make the ears more suseptible to ear infections.

A baby born under weight, early or with extra care needed will have a greater tendency to getting ear infections.

Yes, if you keep giving your child amoxicillin, your child will become immune. The germs responsible for ear infections are becoming more and more immune to penicillin.

I had the same problem with my daughter, we took her to an ear, nose, throat doc. ENT They decided to put tubes in her ear to help with drainage. Worked like a charm! She also ended up having her tonsils out due to having tonsilitis every month for a year! She doesn't have anymore problems and I don't have to give her antibiotics every month. Good luck to you.

Chiropractic care is an excellent natural choice. This is how we dealt with ear infections in our youngest daughter. No drugs, no surgeries, just relief. Any reputable chiropractor can give you the full explanation but it has something to do with the small nerve in the neck that supplies the eustachian tube in the ear. I applaud your efforts to find drug-free ways to treat your children's maladies!

By the way, for what it is worth, my pediatrician told me that most ear infections are viral so the antibiotics won't help anyway. But in order to tell for sure, a culture (or some test) is necessary, and to save parents another visit, doctors will prescribe the antibiotics on the off chance it is bacterial. I don't know how accurate this is, I am only repeating what he told me (?).

Hi S.,

I would ask your child's PCP for a referral to an ENT (Ear Nose & Throat specialist). Both of my girls had frequent ear infections. The oldest went through a similar course as your son. Ear infections every few months. She spent 8 months or so on prophylactic antibiotics (low dose of augmentin every day to "ward off" the infections). She didn't develop any medication immunities that we are aware of, but did develop an allergy to augmentin. We always talked about tubes for her, but the infections were never quite frequent enough for her pcp to think that they were warranted. At age three, she saw an ENT for a different reason (sleep apnea) and was diagnosed with abnormally large adenoids. She had these removed, and hasn't had an ear infection since.

My youngest saw the ENT much sooner for her frequent ear infections. She had ear tubes put in at about a year old. She has had one or two infections since then, but the tubes allow for drainage, so there isn't the pain that would normally be associated with this. The surgery was very quick. Scary to have her under general anesthesia, but the whole thing only took 20 minutes or so. I'm so glad that we did this. Her tubes are still in, but will likely fall out soon (they are supposed to last for a year or so...)

I highly recommend Andrew Inglis at Children's Hospital. He was great with the kids, (and with the grown ups).

I have a six month old who was just diagnosed with an ear infection. I'm trying to avoid antibiotics whenever possible. My naturopath recommended garlic oil drops. A couple drops in the ears (always both) then put a cotton ball in each to keep it in. You can pick them up at the health food store. I heard that in the old days, they just used olive oil. You should check with a naturopath and do your own research. You don't always have to use antibiotics to cure. My son also suffered from terrible thrush when he was first born. After two courses of antibiotics and not a lot of improvement, I opted to see a naturopath. She presicribed probiotics added to his diet. Now, I give him a little bit of a powdered variety every day mixed in with his milk and I eat raw yoghurt every day because I'm still breastfeeding. It worked like a charm. The thrush cleared up within a week and hasn't returned. Probiotics help build a healthy immune system. Same goes for vitamin c. You can get infant or kid varieties at the health food store. Make it a part of your child's daily diet.

Take him to a different doctor, sometimes these new doctors or just using us as Guinnie Pigs. Take him to a Ear Specialist, even if you have to pay for it yourself, It will be taken care of. Then Sue that doctor for giving your child to much Antibiotics. To much of it is probably not helping it at all if that is what he is giving him.
Also I would like to say Keep their ears covered or Put cotton in their ear. I use to put a hot cloth over my ear when I didnt have any medicine.

S. - So sorry to hear about the ear infections. My husband and I were both ear infection veterans, so we assumed that our kids would be, too. Thank the Lord that of the three we have only had one ear infection. During that one ear infection with our oldest (she was 2 at the time) the MD recommended antibiotics and if they didn't work, getting tubes. She wasn't even in pain!!! I couldn't believe how quickly he wanted to do such a huge intervention.

We have been going to a chiropractor for a few years, the girls all since they were born, and I can't help but think there is a very strong connection between that and their lack of sickness and infection. I feel this way because if a spine is in alignment, the spinal cord can send all the brains messages uninterrupted. This improves overall healing. Also, children's Eustacean tubes (run between the ears along the jawline to drain in the throat) are fairly horizontal until the age of 3 or 4, so the fluid gets pooled and infected more easily. A chiropractor can actually massage the jaw and head into alignment so that they are as diagonal as they can be.

Ear infections aren't the result of an antibiotic shortage. We weren't made with the intent to add antibiotics to our system to make it work! However, since some things go wrong and we do need medicine from time to time, make sure you have your little one on some acidophilus or extra yogurt with live active cultures to keep the good bacteria in his system. Otherwise other problems will occur.

Blessings on your child's future health.

My 2 oldest had constant ear infections. Their ear canals were very very narrow, so fluid couldn't get out of the ear, would fester & cause ear infections. We saw an ear/nos/throat specialist & he put tubes in their ears. It is a minor surgery, but it is simple & it gives the ear the ability to drain. The body eventually works the tubes out of the body after about 6 months, but you'll never find them they are so small. That usually gives their little ears enough time to grow without infection & no more ear infections! It was amazing! Constant ear infections can cause permanant hearing loss too & it can affect the way kids learn to talk, because they are hearing it differently with clogged ears. Good luck! It worked for us! There are also drops that you can put in their ears that give pain relief, we did that at night so they could fall asleep.

Hi S.,
Depending on how often your child has already gotten ear infections youshould probably be asking this for a referal to an ENT ear nose and throat speacialist. There are many things they can do to find out why and reduce the number of ear infections. besides tylanol you can use ibuprophin and if those dont seem to work you can ask for a perscription for ear drops that will help to numb the ear. Generally you warm them up under the water faucet and test on your inner wrist to make sure they arent to hot. If you cant get those then I have used warmed mineral oil to sooth the ear pain.