Please help...ear Infection

My sons are 4 and almost 6...we've NEVER had an ear infection! We are so blessed. Here are the things I do to prevent them: The first day of any type of runny nose, I spray their throats one time w/ colloidal silver before they lay down for bed at night. It acts as a natural antibiotic and won't allow any kind of infection to develop w/ all the drainage...throat or ears. Next, if their ears get REALLY wet, like swimming or going under water in the bath, I put a couple drops of peroxide in their ears...it'll kill any bacteria. After I let it run out into a papertowel, I follow it w/ a drop or two of straight rubbing alcohol...to dry them out. I also take preventative measures and cover their ears w/ hats if it's windy outside...obvious stuff like that! Make sure you get some acidophilus for your child after those antibiotics...it'll replace the friendly bacteria that the ab kills. NOTE: The peroxide won't hurt...the alcohol will if their is a perferated eardrum or your child's finger is always in his ear to scratch!! Good luck!

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It is my experience that Amoxicillin does not work well, but is the first drug that is offered. It took me awhile to figure out what worked for my kids (I have 6, ages 9-22). It may take awhile for this RX to work. By that time, you may be exhausted. Insist on a different RX if you don't see this drug making progress for your child. I have a little system that I use if one of my children has an ear ache after hours, in the night, or on a weekend when I can't get them in to see a doctor. This really helped me to ease their pain. Let the child lay down on the floor with their head on a pillow in your lap. Plug in a blow dryer and put it on low heat. Point the dryer in the direction of the infected ear, keeping it about 4-5 inches away from the actual ear (you don't want to burn them!) Now count to 3 and point it away from the ear for 3 counts, now back toward the ear for 3. The warm air will be pushed down into the ear canal and will warm the ear drum and ease the pain. After 5 minutes, my kids would fall asleep on their pallet near my bed and sleep soundly (and so would I!) It was the only thing that would help us until the antibiotic would kick in. A heating pad only heats the outside of the ear, which doesn't help at all. None of my kids had tubes so check with your doctor about using this tip if you have a tube situation. I hope this helps.

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Dear Maria,
I had an experience years ago with my oldest daughter. She had a terrible ear infection. I had taken her to the doctor for the THIRD visit and he said if this doesn't work he was going to send her to a specialist. I asked him to go ahead and sent her on to one then. The specialist vacuumed her ears out and then he told me to use a solution of 1/2 alcohol and 1/2 vinegar in her ears from then on after shampooing her hair or after swimming (anytime there was a chance of her having water caught in her ears). He said the alcohol would dry out the water and the vinegar acts as a natural antibiotic. I have done that ever since and it has really cut down on the ear infections. Just use a dropper and put the solution in each ear for several minutes and then tilt the head to drain it out. Also for the pain, you can use a few drops of warmed (not hot) olive oil in the ears. I hope this helps. D.

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Hyland's homeopathic earache drops!!!!
I went through the same symptoms w/ my 11 month old last week. Alternate Tylenol and Motrin every 4 hours (opposite each other) and these drops can be used as needed. It offered relief for my daughter with in minutes! Also, if he will let you, a warm moist wash cloth held on the ear will help too. Hope it works for you as well as it worked for us!! S.

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My son has had a few ear infections, and is actually on augmentin right now (amox-clav). He has always had a reduction in symptoms after being on the antibiotic for 24 hours, even for his very bad ones. I would suspect that the bacteria in your son's ears is resistent to the plain old amoxicillin and needs a boost.

Personally, I wouldn't wait for a call back from the doctor's office. I've done that before and waited for hours and hours... and then they call back right when I'm changing a diaper, putting him down for a nap, or I'm in the bathroom and can't get to the phone in time. Then I start all over again with calling them, having to leave my number, etc. I now call back every 30 minutes, asking to speak with my pediatric nurse or the on-call nurse. You might also try just making a new appointment - for this afternoon or for the after-hours clinic this evening.

Doctor typically prescribe the less-powerful antibiotics first, since you want to use the one that is effective but not overly-so, and move up from there until you find the one that is just effective enough to work. Omnicef is a typical prescription for the second try. My boy is allergic to that one, so we go right for Augmentin (amox-clav) which has an added component - Clavulanic Acid - that boosts the effectiveness of the amoxicillin on resistent bacterial strains.

It's so hard to see your little one with ear pain. I alternate motrin with tylenol, so that I can be giving him a pain reliever every 3 hours or so, and that seems to help a lot. You may find that a warm washcloth may help his ear pain diminish. If it's acute, there are ear drops that have a mild topical anesthesic. Hope he's feeling better soon!

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HYDROGEN PEROXIDE:
My daughter has had a ruptured ear drum a middle ear infection, SERIOUSE wax clogged up, oh and she has had a purple bead shoved in her ear. I have had more problems with this girls ears. I have taken her to Dr. after Dr. I was even told that she will, not could, but will be deaf and for a long time she was partially deaf in her right ear.
But then I was suggested to try Hydrogen peroxide and IT WORKS!!!
Pour peroxide into the cap of the bottle. Choose which ear to start with. Lay down or lay person down on their side. Put tissue around and under ear.For a child its best to wrap them in a towel with there arms snugged in so they dont try to stick there finger in the peroxide. Pour peroxide into ear
until ear is full. NOT too full just so you can see the peroxide.Watch to see if there is any fizzing or bubbling. You may need to pull up on ear lobe to help peroxide go down a little deeper. The person experiencing this will be hearing a weird noise and it will feel really odd but it DOES NOT HURT. Let it sit for about 20 to 30 seconds. Then use the tissue to place over the ear and roll head over to drain ear. If there is no bubbling no need to repeat in that ear at this time. Repeat this in the oposite ear. If there is any bubbling or fizzing repeat in the ear. You may even see ear wax.

Also you can google ear aches/ home remedies for other temp. or permenant relief of all sorts. Oh and to help the pain you can put a warm rag on it. Steam helps break up any ear wax causing pressure on the eardrum.
Good luck.

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