Best Home Remedies for Childhood Ear Infections

Children with ear infections are miserable, and rightly so. The pain is excruciating, even for adults. Some ear infections clear up on their own. I do, however recommend you see a medical professional right away if your child isn't better within a day. Ear infections are nothing to fool around with. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics (if needed) and give you further advice. You might also give your child children's ibuprofen to ease the pain. Below are some of my best home remedies for ear infections, plus symptoms to watch for.

Apple Cider Vinegar
A very small drop of apple cider vinegar in the infected ear will work as an anti-fungal, and it will ease pain as well. If you're hesitant to use this method on your child, try soaking a cotton swab or cotton ball with the vinegar and using it to clean the ear.

Garlic
You can actually place a garlic clove in the ear of an adult to cure an ear infection. I don't, however, recommend this with children, as the garlic could get stuck and cause further issues. For children, mash the garlic cloves or use garlic oil (as above) on a cotton swab or cotton ball.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Use hydrogen peroxide the same way you would the vinegar above. I was skeptical, but I found it does work quite well. I used this method on my children for several years before discovering apple cider vinegar. I switched to the apple cider vinegar because it was more readily available. It's one of those kitchen staples I always have on hand.

Warm Olive Oil for Pain
What if you're out of children's pain reliever? I've heard viewpoints from both sides on this. Some people hesitate to use it for fear it will cause further infection. Others swear by it. All I know is that a few drops of warmed olive oil in the infected ear has always eased the pain for my children and grand-children.

Steam
Place a clean dishtowel in a coffee mug filled with steaming hot water. Don't place the towel on your child's skin. Instead, invert their ear over the cup. The steam will rise and gently enter the ear canal, warming the wax so the infection can drain. Do not use direct forced steam, such as that from a tea kettle. This can cause serious burns and damage to the ear canal.

Ear Infection Symptoms in Children:
-Fever
-Crying
-Tugging or pulling at ears
-Discharge from ears
-Loss of balance
-Difficulty hearing
-Irritability
-Stomachache
-Vomiting
-Diarrhea


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