Children and Ear
Infections
by Lucinda Jenkins LPNHC
Ear infections account for over 25 million visits
to the Doctor in a year. They are very common
but can cause untold pain and suffering in the
child and the parents.
One of the ways to curtail the amount of ear
infections begins before the baby is born. Do
not smoke or be around cigarette smoke when
you are pregnant. Studies are showing that smoking
may interfere with the fetus' immune system
development, making the child prone to ear infections.
Furthermore ..to expose an infant , toddler
to cigarette smoke is an ear infection waiting
to happen. There is now enough evidence to say
that cigarette smoke does cause ear and sinus
infection in children and prevents the complete
healing of these troubles.
( I can say as an experienced office nurse that
an infant that smells like a ash tray is more
common than you think. I could handle the messy
diapers but a smokey smell is a crying shame!)
There are different types of ear infections
, listed are the main two.
External otitis, or the outer ear infection:
This is usually preceded by allergies or upper
respiratory infections. The outer ear and ear
canal are infected up to the ear drum with symptoms
of slight fever, pain, throbbing which hurts
worse to touch it.
Otitis media or middle ear infections...the
area behind the eardrum is infected with symptoms
of high fever, sharp pain and throbbing..you
will see the child pull or tug at their ears
with crying. Pressure builds behind the eardrum
, a rip or perforation results in the eardrum
and the pain is reduced quickly. Fluid draining
from the ear is a clue the eardrum has ruptured.
Doctors are becoming more reluctant to treat
ear infection with antibiotics due to the new
strains of ear infections created by overuse
of antibiotics.
There are some other alternatives that can
be used which are safe:
A few drops of warm garlic oil dropped into
the ear canal will help to stop the pain and
will kill the bacteria, germs, fungus in the
ear.
Giving the child echinacea extract will boost
the immune system to fight off the infection.
You can also use Goldenseal extract in child's
drink but remember this is not an herb to take
routinely.
After a round of Goldenseal be sure to supplement
the diet with acidophilus. If you are going
to smoke around the child then keep these herbs
handy.
Try to reduce allergy causing foods from the
diet like dairy products, wheat, corn, oranges,
peanut butter, and sugars.
Worth a mention here ..breast fed babies have
less sinus and ear infections than bottle fed
babies. And one more note..My 17 year old daughter
has had antibiotics just once in her life,,she
has taken the echinacea and goldenseal all her
life (when needed)....just thought I would mention
that also!! (she was breast fed too!)
Here is one more important point, Don't smoke
around babies!
Children and Ear Infections by Lucinda Jenkins
LPNHC
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