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Imagine
Your Kids with Vibrant Health and Natural Vitality!
Boost and Strengthen their Immune System the Natural
Way!
Super Healthy Kids is a comprehensive e-book (you can get a printed
paperback version as well) about what you can do to strengthen your
kids health and boost their immune system to prevent disease and
create increased vibrant health and vitality...read
more...
Managing Ear Infections at Home
Randall Neustaedter OMD, Lac, CCH
What are the symptoms of an ear infection?
Ear infections can be accompanied by mild or severe pain, or no
pain at all. In babies, symptoms often only include fussiness and
night waking, runny nose, or fever. Sometimes all three symptoms
are present. Ear pain tends to worsen at night while lying down.
How do you know that your baby or child has an
ear infection?
Get a small home earscope (see below) and check the eardrums for
redness. A flushed, red ear may indicate an ear infection, but a
red ear could also be due to allergies, teething, or excessive crying.
The earscope will allow you to monitor the progress of the eardrum.
Or go to your health care provider for a diagnosis. Ask for a one
to ten scale of how bad the ears look.
What Steps Can I Take?
Step 1:
Give one of the following homeopathic medicines in a 30 strength.
Use two pellets as a dose. Repeat every one to three hours while
your child is awake depending on the severity of symptoms. Give
only one homeopathic medicine at a time. If one remedy does not
improve symptoms, then you can switch to another. Homeopathy will
stimulate a healing reaction. When symptoms improve, stop the remedy
and wait. If symptoms recur, then begin the medicine again. Remember
that fevers are good. They indicate that the body is fighting the
infection.
Belladonna 30c In the first stage, especially if symptoms have
come on quickly and there is fever. The child is usually tired.
Hepar-sulph. 30c For any painful ear, especially if the ear seems
tender to touch and the child is fussy or irritable. The most effective
remedy for ear infections, and the best choice for swimmer’s ear.
Pulsatilla 30c For mild ear infections without severe pain, and
for lingering symptoms with thickening nasal discharge.
Step 2:
If there is pain, place a few drops of body-temperature organic
cold-pressed vegetable oil into the ear. This is soothing. If pain
persists and is severe, despite homeopathic medicines, or if pain
is keeping a child awake, then it may be sensible to give acetaminophen
(Tylenol), but only while it is absolutely needed. This will allow
your child to sleep while the homeopathic medicine does its job.
Step 3:
Give echinacea, an immune-building herb. Echinacea stimulates the
body to produce more white blood cells that fight invasion by viruses
or bacteria. Stop after four to five days.
Dosage:
Babies under one year: 10 drops three times per day
Children over one year: 20 drops three times per day
What about antibiotics?
Antibiotics have a tendency to weaken the immune system and cause
recurrent ear infections. Try to avoid them. Bacteria also become
resistant to antibiotics if they are overused. Many ear infections
are not even caused by bacteria, and antibiotics will do nothing
for ear infections caused by viruses or allergies.
What do I do about recurrent ear infections?
Discontinue all dairy products (cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage
cheese). If you are breastfeeding, then stop dairy in your own diet.
Cow’s milk proteins will travel through your breast milk.
Give colostrum, one capsule twice a day mixed with food such as
applesauce. This is the first milk that is secreted in mammals for
a few days after birth. It contains immune system stimulants that
prevent infections. Cow’s colostrum is freeze dried and packaged
in capsules, which can be opened and mixed with food. Use an organic
form of colostrum, such as New Life Colostrum produced by Symbiotics.
Note: children with a dairy allergy should not be given colostrum.
Take your child to see a homeopathic practitioner for a deeper-acting
constitutional medicine. This will strengthen the system and prevent
future infections. Check the Holistic Pediatric Association directory
at www.hpakids.org for a homeopath in your area. Contact the Council
for Homeopathic Certification for a homeopath near you who is certified
in classical homeopathy (415) 789-7677, or visit the directory at
their website www.homeopathy-council.org.
Your ear infection home kit:
. Echinacea extract without alcohol
. Homeopathic medicines
. Belladonna 30c
. Hepar-sulph. 30c
. Pulsatilla 30c
. Earscope (Order from Notoco, Model 1202, Send $33.45. They
also will include a book Ears:
An Owner’s Manua,l which includes color photos of eardrums
and instructions for home ear exams. Add $5.00. Notoco, PO Box 300,
Ferndale CA 95536, (707) 786-4400
Dr. Neustaedter has practiced homeopathic medicine for over twenty
years, specializing in child health care. An accomplished and well-recognized
author, his works include an authoritative text, Homeopathic
Pediatrics, and a popular book for parents, The
Vaccine Guide: Making an Informed Choice (1996), a revision
of his previous book, The Immunization
Decision (1990). He has contributed extensively to the journals
that comprise the homeopathic medical literature. A licensed acupuncturist
with a doctorate in Oriental Medicine, Dr. Neustaedter practices
at the Classical Medicine Center in Redwood City, California (650-299-9170).
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Use the information provided on this site as an educational resource for determining your options and making your own informed choices. It is not intended as medical advice or to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any specific illness.