3 Natural Prevention & Management Strategies for Ear Infections in Children

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If you have a child you know that ear infections happen to almost every child at some point.  And unfortunately, many children experience recurrent ear infections that are painful.  While mainstream medicine may generally dictate the prescription of an antibiotic for ear infections, that may still not be enough to stop recurrent ear infections.  For this reason, many children get ear tubes placed to prevent ear infections from occurring in the first place.  But, this is a procedure that requires anesthesia and many people would like to avoid it if possible.  Further, as we become more educated and aware of the increase in antibiotic resistance, it is ideal to find ways to prevent and treat things like ear infections as naturally as possible to avoid the overuse of antibiotics. It is important to first determine where the ear infection is: outer inner, middle ear, or inner ear.  That will help you and your naturopathic doctor determine the best course of pediatric ear infection prevention and treatment. Fortunately, there are many naturopathic ways to prevent and manage ear infections in children.

3 Natural Prevent & Management Strategies for Ear Infections in Children

1. Acupressure & Essential Oil

• • • Essential oils and acupressure have many helpful uses in treating a myriad of health conditions, including ear infections in children.  Of course, essential oils must be safely used and appropriately diluted when being used on children.  It is always important to consult your naturopathic physician before you begin any treatment.  Fox News explains how acupressure and essential oil can be used in combination to prevent and treat ear infections, “Lavender essential oil reduces inflammation and when used with acupressure, it can help relieve ear infections. The acupressure points are located in front of and behind the ear and the space between the thumb and index finger on the hand.”

2. Dietary Prevention of Pediatric Ear Infections

• • • We all know how important diet is for general health.  What we eat impacts many aspects of our health and can even help prevent ear infections in some children, as Naturopathic Pediatrics notes, Often, a child has perpetual ear fluid because of a food sensitivity.  Dairy is the most common culprit, but it could be any food.  I do not recommend attempting to eliminate multiple foods from your child’s diet without professional guidance.  However, eliminating just one suspect food, such as dairy, for a trial period, is a reasonable option.  Just be sure you replace the nutrients lost by eliminating that food.”

3. Chiropractic Care

• • • If your child is beginning to experience ear pain, a visit to the chiropractor may help relieve ear pain!  Healthline elaborates on how chiropractic can be an effective pediatric ear infection treatment, “If you go to the chiropractor for adjustments, you may find that your appointment can soothe your earache as much as your back pain. One study dating back to 1996 found that 93 percent of 46 child participants had improvement following chiropractic adjustments, and 43 percent of them after only one or two sessions.”