Earaches or ear infections - are one of the most common childhood illnesses.

Earaches can be very painful and can be serious if they don’t resolve, so being proactive is important.

It is understandable to want to take your child to the doctor when they aren’t feeling well and are in pain. Sometimes that is absolutely the best decision you can make.

But, you may be able to do more at home than you think.

What is it and what causes it?

An earache is a pain or discomfort experienced in the ear or surrounding areas. It can be a sharp, dull, throbbing or burning sensation which can be felt in one or both ears. There can be redness and sometimes itchiness around the outer ear.

Earaches can be caused by infections, teething, allergies or a gut imbalance. They are often accompanied by a cold or the flu. They can also be caused by swimming, having something stuck in the ear, or other external factors.

Ears have eustachian tubes which run from the nasal cavity to the ear. Their function in the body is to drain fluid and equalize air pressure on both sides of the eardrum.

Infants and young children have small, short tubes which run horizontally. This length and positioning doesn’t allow gravity to help drain fluid well. Instead, it tends to pool in the middle ear and allow bacteria and viruses to grow. The tubes in children are also narrower and more flexible, with softer cartilage, which makes them more likely to collapse or become blocked.

Adults have a fully formed tube that is longer and angled more steeply downward which allows better drainage. The adult eustachian tube is also wider and stiffer and therefore stays open more easily.

Eustachian tube comparison - Infant vs Adult

Safety and when to see the doctor -

It is recommended to see your doctor if:

there is a fever of 100.4 or higher
pus or blood is coming from the ear
baby is refusing to eat
baby is crying inconsolably

Always, when seeking professional medical help, consider how that professional is trained. For example, pediatricians are typically trained in diagnosing illness, prescribing medications, and giving vaccines. They are not trained in herbal remedies, nutrition, Traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic techniques, massage, etc.

I had a friend who regularly reminded me that if I was taking my child to a pediatrician, I should expect that doctor to offer what they were trained to prescribe. If I didn’t want a prescription for an antibiotic or something, then I should seek a different professional’s opinion. It took me a long time to really understand what she was telling me. Too long, really.

If you are looking for alternative remedies, then find a medical professional who has been trained in that. For instance, a naturopathic doctor is trained to identify the underlying causes of illness rather than just suppressing symptoms. They can and do prescribe pharmaceuticals, but their focus in more on removing obstacles to health and stimulating the self-healing mechanisms we all have.

Home Remedies

***It is important to treat both ears. Even if only one ear is painful - treat both ears. ***

Mind/Body connection

First and foremost, pray for healing for your child and patience and wisdom for yourself. Talking with God puts things into perspective. As much as we love our children, God loves them even more. He created them, after all and He knows every hair on their head (or if they are still bald little cuties, He knows how many hairs they will have.)
Cuddle with your babe for a minute. Talk to them and tell them you are going to help them and that you love them. Children need reassurance that things are going to be ok and that you care about what is happening with them. Even very young children are comforted by reassuring words from their momma.

External remedies

Lavender - use 1 drop lavender essential oil on a cotton ball. Place the cotton ball on the opening of the ear, just resting on the outside. Treat both ears. Lavender is soothing and helps ease the pain.
Breast milk - a few drops of expressed breast milk can be placed just inside the outer ear canal (not deep in the ear) to soothe irritation. Breast milk contains immunoglobulins and antimicrobial peptides that may help fight infection.
Onion poultice - slice an onion and warm gently until softened. Let cool until slightly warmer than baby’s skin temperature. Wrap the onion slices in a thin cloth (linen or cotton, if possible) and place over each ear for 10-15 minutes.
Chamomile compress - brew some chamomile tea. Let cool until it’s slightly warmer than the baby’s skin temperature. Dip a cloth in the tea and wring out slightly so that it’s damp but not drippy. Place the compress on the cheek, ear, and/or neck. Pay attention to where it seems to be most comforting to the baby and keep it there. Reapply a warm compress for 10 minutes several times throughout the day. Chamomile tea is anti-inflammatory and has antimicrobial properties which can reduce pain and swelling. The warmth from the compress can help loosen fluid in the middle ear so it can drain more effectively.
Sesame oil - pour 1 tsp warm sesame oil in a small bowl. Lightly massage the sesame oil around the outer ear, just below the ear and along the jawline. Sesame oil has a naturally warming quality that can help soothe pain and discomfort. Massage around the eustachian tube area may promote better drainage of trapped fluid, reducing pressure inside the middle ear.
Diffuse Roman Chamomile - add 1 drop Roman chamomile essential oil in about 3 ounces of water. Diffuse for 15 minutes. Roman chamomile essential oil is a gentle chamomile that is ideal for using with young children. It helps calm the nervous system and provides support for feelings of irritability and stress. It can also be helpful for sleep.
Reflexology - Chinese reflexology is an ancient healing art that is over 2,000 years old. When you massage a reflexology point, it increases helps increase blood circulation in the area. This results in more oxygen to help with the healing process and supports the body in flushing out and clearing away toxins. There are books and charts of the reflexology points you can purchase online. It would be good to practice that before any illness occurs.

Internal remedies

Chamomile tea - If breastfeeding, mom can drink a minimum of 1-2 cups a day. Baby can have 2-3 drops of cooled tea at the same time. Chamomile tea relieves pain and calms the nerves, in both mom and baby. It is also helpful for irritability.
Vitamin C - for the breastfeeding mom. Vitamin C helps boost the immune system to fight the infection.
Probiotics - breastfeeding moms should be taking a probiotic. If your baby is on formula, they can start a probiotic when they are 6 months old. Most baby formula doesn’t provide the probiotics that natural breast milk does, so read the label and see what your formula is made of. There are several brand of baby probiotics like this one. Do some research and see what would work the best for you.
Homeopathy - this is definitely a category where some personal research is called for. Especially for a newborn. That being said, homeopathic remedies are extremely diluted, so much so that some find it difficult to believe they even work. But they do. I’m not sure how, but God does a lot of things that I don’t understand and I believe this is one of those things. I recommend getting a book on homeopathic remedies and learning about those. Hyland’s is a good brand that I have used and been please with the results. Here’s a good article to start with for ear infections.

Nutrition

Breast feeding is the best for babies. Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most babies and the milk even changes to meet the baby’s nutritional needs. No formula can do that! Breastfeeding may also lower the risk of postpartum depression. It’s free, convenient, and helps create a close bond between mom and baby.
Mom - avoid dairy and sugar as they are both mucus forming and inflammatory. Add bone broth, soups, and hot tea as they can add nutrients that will pass through the milk to your baby and help heal the ear infection. Adding garlic and onions to your food will also transfer their benefits to baby.
Tea blend - drink 2-3 cups per day.

Be an advocate for your child

This requires knowing your child better than any medical professional does and you do! You know your child better than anyone else does, so take comfort and confidence in that. You have spent more time with your child than anyone and when you think about it, you know how they react to things, what their temperament is, how sensitive they are, and when they need extra cuddles.

Go with your gut.
Do the research you need to do.
Learn more about your child - it’s a lifetime process, really.
Know what you are looking for in a medical professional, then go and find them.
Ask questions.
Don’t do things that don’t seem right to you.

We are all different - unique - and what works for your child may not work for my child.

You can do this! Pray. Learn. Pray some more. You can do it!

Earache - Infants 0-12 months old