Published February 23, 2002 in the North Island Weekender
Every bathroom cupboard should contain a few natural
remedies to help treat those childhood infections that come up in the middle of
the night. This is what helped 15-month-old Brenda who had recurring ear
infections.
Brenda’s mother, Marianne, sought naturopathic alternatives after Brenda had
been prescribed antibiotics for the fourth time since her birth, for a
recurring ear infection. I determined that Marianne had a long but normal
delivery and breast fed for six months. She had Brenda immunized at two months
of age, as is standard protocol, and the ear infections began shortly after she
was weaned onto cow’s milk formula. Her medical doctor had said this was quite
normal and that she would probably grow out of it. If she didn’t then ear tubes
would be inserted to help drain and prevent infections.
Naturopathic physicians believe that the two main causes of ear infections are
immunizations and cow’s milk. See my website for articles on immunization I
have written. Breast-feeding I highly recommend for a year if possible. This is
the best immunization a child can get in the first year of life. In this case a
long delivery may have upset the alignment of the spine and pediatric
chiropractic adjustments have also been researched to treat ear infections. Another
cause is the improper bacteria flora in the baby’s intestinal tract. This
happens because the mother has in imbalance and during vaginal delivery the
baby’s intestines are inoculated with unhealthy flora.
I recommended to Marianne that she discontinue cow’s milk in Brenda’s diet as
well as sugar which depresses the ability of the immune system to fight
infection. Most children at this age can be switched to goats, rice or soymilk
in a matter of a few weeks to let their taste buds adjust. I usually recommend
supplementation with extra calcium, magnesium and vitamins at the age of 12
months or earlier if they are weaned earlier. These are available in liquid
sources to make it easier for parents to get their children to take them. It is
much easier to get children started on good foods and supplements at this age,
rather than waiting when they are even fussier!
One of the most economical remedies for ear infections is garlic oil right into
the ear. The rule of thumb is that if a child is fighting any infection or
teething, it will usually affect the ears. So don’t wait for the ears to
manifest symptoms. Start using the garlic right away. Most children cooperate
very nicely. The other remedies that are great for ear infections are
homeopathic pulsatilla, or over the counter combination homeopathic
combinations for teething and ear infections. Reckeweg # 1 is an old standby.
There are many useful books on how to use homeopathy safely and effectively at
home. The trick with homeopathy is not how many drops or pellets you take, but
the frequency. The frequency increases with the intensity of the infection.
Echinacea is a well-known herb and is number one recommended for infections.
Again with this one, adequate doses need to be taken for it to be effective.
My colleagues and myself are noticing that what was easy to treat 10 years ago,
is now harder to treat. This means that viruses and bacteria are more virulent
than they were and human immune systems are weaker than they were 10 years ago
too! So in order for natural medicine to work, dosages must be appropriate.
There are some nice homeopathic Echinacea combinations which are easy to give
to babies and are effective for infections. When Brenda came in I recommended
the above as well as Sannum remedies which I am finding are working for the
stubborn infections. I also recommended Lifestart, an acidophilus especially
formulated for children up to the age of 7. When prescribed this puts the
proper bacteria into the intestinal system and increases the immune system. (By
now you should know from my articles that 60% of your immune system is in your
intestines!)
Brenda was doing much better in two weeks, but the most important thing is that
she didn’t get full blown ear infections again. Marianne had enough information
and remedies on hand to get on it right away and she was able to avoid putting
tubes into Brenda’s ears.
Of course if your home treatments are not working and the child is getting
worse, please see your naturopathic or medical doctor for more aggressive treatment.
Dr. Pincott has been practicing naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is
currently practicing in Campbell River. She can be reached at (250) 286-3655 or
www.DrPincott.com