In the United States
each year, about 20 million prescriptions are
written for children under the age of 12. About half
of these prescriptions (10 million +/-) are for the
5 million young children suffering with ear
infections
Contrary to common practice, most children with
ear infections should not be treated with
antibiotics.
According to
recent guidelines by the American
Academy of Pediatrics and the
American Academy of
Family Physicians, the vast majority of
children's ear infections will clear up on their
own. What they do recommend is medication to
alleviate the pain.
Why the minimal use of antibiotics? Every time a
child takes antibiotics, future
infections become harder to treat. A typical healthy
child carries a pound or two of rapidly evolving
microscopic bacteria in his or her body. Antibiotics
cause the selective breeding of the more resistant
strains, which leads to the requirement for newer,
stronger,
more expensive antibiotics, with more side effects
later in life.
Parents often want to
start antibiotics for the ear infection because
their child in in extreme pain. They
mistakenly think that starting antibiotics will
reduce a child’s pain. However, in the
first 24 hours, there is no difference in pain level
whether or not the child gets antibiotics. The
children deserve relief.
Until you can get your child to a doctor, the
best treatment is both oral OTC (Over The Counter)
and an ear drop protocol.
Home remedies
and Treatments for Earaches
Oral Pain
relievers for earache
- acetaminophen
Common brand names: Tylenol®, Panadol® and Aspirin Free Anacin®.
Dosage: For children ages 6-11
years, the usual dose is 150-300 mg, three to four
times a day. Check with a physician for dosages
for children under age 6 years.
- ibuprofen
Common Brand Names: Advil, Excedrin-IB, Midol-IB,
Motrin IB
Dosage: Children 6 months to 12 years of age
usually are given 5-10 mg/kg of ibuprofen every
6-8 hours for the treatment of fever and pain. The
maximum dose is 40 mg/kg daily.
Ear Drop Pain
relievers for earache
- Auro Earache Relief®
- Murine Ear Drops for Earache®
- Similasan Earache relief®
If no OTC drops are immediately
available, warm up some olive oil to a maximum of
100 degrees F. and place a few drops in the ear.
Have the child lay down with the infected ear up,
and keep warm towels or a heating pad on the ear.
© 2004-2007 Hearing Central LLC
