11 Proven Home Remedies To Cure Baby’s Ear Infection

Constant crying and earache are the early signs of ear infection in baby. The newborn or kids under the age of 5 have weak immune system. During this phase, their health needs mother help to prevent diseases. Doctors often prescribe antibiotic for treatment of baby ear infection. However, only 1 in 8 kids need the dose of antibiotic. Others can heal themselves or you can support the process by using natural ear infection remedies for babies.

An earache can be very painful if infection is left untreated. Baby who can not speak are the worst victims as they are not able to tell you “how they are feeling”. However, one can predict the chances of ear infection in infants and kids by observing the signs and symptoms.
Some common signs and symptoms of baby ear infection are constant crying, pulling on the ears, poking fingers inside ear canal, drainage (fluids coming out from your baby’s ear), trouble in sleeping, fever, loss of appetite.

Are baby ear infection home treatments effective? Most of the kids will heal the infection by themselves. These remedies are proven to increase the speed of recovery by improving immune strength and helpful in easy drainage of pus and fluids.

Facts About Baby Ear Infection

According to the reports of National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 3 out of every 1000 children are born with hearing loss in one or both ears in United States.
Same report also claim that five out of six children suffers from any type of ear infection by the time they are 3 years old.
How serious is this condition in children? According to National Health System for Children, around 10 percent of kids with ear infection can suffer from ruptured eardrum. Pediatric Otitis Media also called as middle ear infection can be caused due to pressure buildup behind the eardrums.

Here are some of the best natural home remedies for baby ear infection.

1. Relieve Pressure

Fluid build-up behind the drums can cause hearing problems or ringing sound. They are very irritating and it may cause your kid to cry continuously. Laying your baby on the opposite side from the pain can reduce the pressure. It is an effective way to treat Pediatric Otitis Media.
On a flat and clean surface, lay down your kid on the side. Hold them gently so that they don’t jump or stand up. Keep your kid in that position for 15-20 minutes. Do this twice or thrice in a day to relive pressure effectively. It help reduce pain and irritation.

2. Warm Compress To Reduce Inflammation

Ear infection in your baby can show symptoms such as inflammation and episodes of pain. Warm compress improves the blood circulation and allow the tissue to heal faster. It will also improve the condition by relieving pressure by reducing the thickness of mucus(if any).
Soak a clean towel in warm water and wring out excessive water. Place this behind your baby’s ear and allow it to soothe the pain and inflammation for 5 minutes. Repeat this home therapy several times in a day to cure the infection.

3. Wiggle The Baby’s Ear

Cold and congestion can lead to fluid build-up in upper body parts. Relieving ear pressure on your baby can be the most simple remedy. You may find your child snatching or stretching earlobes due to discomfort caused by infection. May be that’s all it need. If there is no evidence of ruptured eardrum, you can simply hold your baby’s earlobes and wiggle them slightly. It will trigger the movement of passage and may drain fluid.

4. Warm Oil

Use of essential oil are one of the oldest and effective baby ear infection home remedy. Essential oils are very vital part of holistic healing. All of them comes with wide range of health benefits and medicinal values. Sesame seed oil is one of the natural pain reliever. It is also antibacterial which makes it perfect remedy for otitis media. Olive oil is another popular essential oil which is used as baby ear infection home treatment. Olive is good for skin and comes with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It will reduce swelling inside ear and may help remove wax.
Pick any one essential oil and warm it up a little. Now with the help of a clean and sterilized ear dropper, place few drops in infected ear. Allow it to sit inside for several minutes then you can ask your child to tilt their head and drain out the fluid. Use this remedy several times in a week for fast recovery.

5. Garlic Essential Oil

Due to antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, garlic is an excellent home remedy for pediatric ear infections. It can kill the colonies of bacteria in dirt accumulated inside the ear canal. Garlic is also used to cure infectious disease such as toenail fungus, microbial and bacterial infection.
Dilute 3 drops of garlic oil in 10 drops of olive oil. Place few drops inside the canal and allow it to sit for 10-15 minutes. You can also keep it for longer time.
Soak a cotton ball in this solution and use it as plug. This is another way to use garlic oil for treating ear infection in baby. It will allow the vapor of the oil to soothe pain and reduce inflammation.

6. Elevation

Elevating the head is one of the best natural ear infection remedies for babies. Easy drainage of pus and fluids will improve the recovery time. If there is any type of fluid buildup, raising the height of pillow under the bed can help relieve some pressure.

The best way to do this is by raising the height of the crib. If your child sleeps on bed then put some pillow under the mattress. Avoid keeping pillows below the baby’s head. Many mother find this useful as it allow fluid to drain easily.

7. Massage

Allowing movement to internal parts can help reduce pain. Massaging with essential oil is another effective way to treat baby ear infection. It does not require to pour them inside, you just have to massage the outer skin. Essential oils of lavender, olive, ginger and garlic can be used for the home treatment.
Gently apply few drops of warm oil behind the the cartilage and earlobe. With the help of your fingers gently massage in circular motion for 5 minutes. Repeat it several times in a day to get rid of symptoms quickly.

8. Onion

Bacteria is not always the culprit, some times fungal growth can also trigger pain. Onion is powerful anti-fungal agent that can help cure ear infection and pain in baby. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, onion can also reduce swelling. The use of onion ear muffs has shown effective results in treating ear infection.
Pour half cup of water in a saucepan. Add 5-6 thick slices of onion and simmer this for 5 minutes. Strain and collect the onions and wrap it in a clean cotton. Allow it to cool down a little so that it does not burn the skin. Use it as muffs or plug for kids. Make sure you hold it not your child. Repeat this remedy several times in a day until symptoms go away.

9. Homeopathic Treatment for Ear Infection in Baby

Homeopathy has long history of treating disease naturally. The use of simple drops and antibiotic creams are really effective in providing relief from pain. Ferrum Phosphoricum is a potent anti-inflammatory remedy that works amazing on curing infection. It prevent bacteria from replicating and also reduce the formation of pus.
Homeopathic eardrops with anti-inflammatory abilities are another popular infection remedy. Any drops which contain the extracts of antimicrobial plant such as garlic, onion, calendula, or lavender can help.

10. Antibiotics for Babies Ear Infection

If no remedy seems to work then eating natural antibiotics or taking prescribed antibiotics can help your child. Most of the time infection is due to bacterial outbreak or fungal colonies. Simple natural remedies will be helpful in reducing the symptoms, however, you may require pediatrician prescribed antibiotics for babies ear infection.
Antibiotics will inhibit the growth of bacteria and reduce the fluid draining from ear canal. Eliminating the bacterial infection will reduce swelling of cartilage and alleviate pain. Avoid using over the counter pain killers or antimicrobial pills. They can create complication to your child. Combine antibiotics and above mentioned home remedies such as warm compress, wiggling, massaging middle ear to relieve pressure and cure infection fast.
Amoxicillin is often prescribed by doctor to counter any type of bacterial growth. However, ask them to confirm that the pain or irritation is caused due to infection. Some times teething can also cause chronic pain.

Sign and Symptoms

Here are some of the common symptoms of otitis media in baby:

• Pulling of ear frequently
• Recurring episodes of crying
• Liquid coming out from ear canal
• Trouble in sleeping
• Rise of body temperature
• Mild redness or inflammation
• Irritation and food mania

Simple Prevention Tips for Ear Infection in Infants and Kids

• Take care of your baby while teething as it can lead to ear aches.
• Remove wax regularly to avoid formation of fungal colonies.
• Keep them away from smoke or avoid smoking around your kids.
• Regularly massage the neck and the area around lobes to prevent formation of pressure.
• Take extra precaution during flu season.
• Soak extra water after every bath.
• Keep you child hydrated.
• Improve your babies immune by breastfeeding them up-to 6-12 months.
• Use humidifier to maintain the humidity of the house.
• Feed your infant at correct angle if you are bottle feeding. Some times the milk can block eustachian tubes.
• Always give your child the flu shots on time.

Simple pressure buildup can also cause pain and irritation in your babies ear. However, if you observe high body temperature and discharge of pus or blood then contact a doctor quickly. It may not be just the infection, it can be ruptured eardrum.

Use these babies ear infection home remedy regularly to keep your kid healthy. These are common proven and highly practiced home cures. Some mother report that warm compress and massage are great combination to reliever ear pressure in baby. If bacteria infection is troubling your child then antibiotics are the best treatment.

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