I am interested in an effective alternative to using antibiotics?

Question

In the case of a child's ear infection. 4 years old. I would also appreciate any background information, and links to websites that I can visit myself and research.
Thank you very much for all your answers!

This would be a recurring affliction. Amoxicillin Trihydrate has been used in every instance. I am just looking for some other ideas...

I have also heard the alcohol remedy, and was wondering about that one in particular...

No smokers in my house. At all.

Answer 1

My doctor told me that he tells people without insurance to treat an ear infection with drops of rubbing alcohol and vinegar. The vinegar kills bacteria and the alcohol dries up fluid. I used this before and it works really well. I mix 1tsp.alcohol and 1tsp.vinegar.Use a medicine dropper and put 2-3 drops in each ear up to 3 times a day. Hope this works for you!

Answer 2

My daughter is 6 and has had 1 ear infection-- I give her concentrated garlic by Kyolic, her breath is stinky but it works- I also warm olive oil and crushed fresh garlic bulb in a dish and use a dropper to put some in the ear canal- put cotton ball in ear to hold in the oil for about 1/2hr- my sister has literally taped a clove of garlic behind her daughters ear and in the morning the infection was gone ( my kid won't let me tape anything to her). and I have read of cutting an onion in half and placing it over the ear for about an hour- apparently it draws out the infection. garlic is a natural "antibiotic". hope this helps. if you feel the need for the antibiotics just make sure to supplement with acidophilus to replenish the good bacteria that the antibiotics will kill with the bad- don't take it at the same time as the antibiotics- wait about 4 hours. and you need to ask "why is my child getting ear infections?" I do not use over the counter cold remedies as they do not let the gunk out- they suppress it and it goes somewhere- usually in- this can cause a back up in the ear canal, and thus infection

Answer 3

If the child has a real honest-to-goodness infection, then the child needs to be given the antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. That is the only thing that will get rid of the infection. Now if it's an earache--then antibiotics will not work and the doctor needs to find the cause of the ear pain.

There are no over-the-counter products/antibiotics that will cure an infection of any kind. They don't exist.

Answer 4

always be careful with kids 1 thing i am hearing is tat doctors are prescribing to often antibiotics for kids ear infections and this came from a allopathic medical doctor please check out www.youngliving.com/MARYKING1 they have a couple of things i would recommend that i indeed have used effectively on both my 4 yr old & 6 r old they are first fennel and /or graipfruit essential oil this can actully help drain the fluid out of the ear. DONOT put it in the ear!!! blend 1 drop ith1 drop of olive oil and rub it starting from the back of the ear along the ear canal path way In the world of natural antibiotics i use their oil blend called thieves it has kept my husband and kids off of antibiotics for about three years now!

Answer 5

I have heard that many children get ear infections because one or both of their parents smoke. Even if you smoke in the basement of the home, the smoke will affect a child upstairs. I also read that children need to spend more time outdoors in the fresh air to help avoid ear infections. I believe prevention is much better than a cure.

Garlic is a natural antibiotic and is probably best used to prevent infection, in this case, than cure it. My small nephew loves garlic in his food. Use the real chopped garlic, not garlic powder or garlic salt.

Answer 6

We have used hydrogen peroxide. We used it similar to the answer that said to use vinegar & rubbing alcohol - 2 to 3 drops every few hours. Here is an article about using breast milk if you are nursing a child or know someone who is.

http://www.mercola.com/2000/aug/20/ear_infections.htm

I've heard colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic, but I have never used it. You could probably find info at a health food store for this. It's very important to take probiotics while taking antibiotics, even if they're natural antibiotics. Do not take the probiotics w/in 2 hours of taking antibiotics. The probiotics won't be very effective.

Answer 7

I'd strongly recommend antibiotics before anything serious happens--ineffective medicine could allow the infection to cause deafness!

I heard the Amish heat a piece of onion and carefully hold it inside the ear canal so that the fumes attack the infection. My kids would get something in the penecillin family from a doctor though.

Answer 8

Garlic is great for fighting an infection. For a 4 year old, I would'nt give him it orally but if you can talk to someone at a healthfood store about putting garlic oil directly in his ear that should do the job. Also elderberry (sambucol) taken everyday will help with prevention. I would definitely talk to someone at a healthfood store before doing the garlic thing. Hope this helps. You can do a search on both garlic and elderberry and they have great info on how it works for the immune system.

Answer 9

i use goldenseal root...but do a google search on herbal remedies, and use common sense. best of luck.

edits: your child may require tubes put in the ears to keep them from getting infected so frequently...my son had chronic ear infections, and he was a breast fed baby. antibiotics just quit working, even sulfa drugs didn't work, only having the tubes put in cured it. he does have hearing impairment from all the infections though. be really cautious with home remedies you hear from others'...you have to do your own research...homeopathic medicine is great, but you have to know what you're doing. most drugs began from an herbal form back in the day. herbs can be as toxic as prescribed medications.

Answer 10

A few drops of warm sweet oil (olive oil) in the ear usually will take care of most minor earaches. However, if your child has an actual infection and not just an achy ear, you shold talk to your doctor who may be able to give you better pointers.