Ear Infection Remedies

Fine one moment. 

20 minutes later fever of 103.4.

Elias is prone to Febrile seizures and of course when this boy get's a fever, it's a REALLY high one that comes on REALLY fast.

After another hour his fever was 104.3.

I decided to give him some Tylenol at this point (not a big fan, but hey...)

His fever reduced to 101.0.

3 hours later it spiked back up to 104.5. 

He started hallucinating seeing Captain Hook behind me and Bears walking around the house. 

I asked Alex to take him into the ER and get him looked at. 

After 5 1/2 hours there (getting home at 5:30am), they sent my son home with two HUGE bottles of thick, pink, industrial-smelling Amoxacillian. 

After a few hours of sleep, Elias woke up screaming (he was sleeping in our bed) and hallucinating again. His temperature was 103.1. We hadn't started the antibiotics yet.

Fear set into my heart. 

Alex and I measured out the first dose of antibiotics. 

Then we hesitated. 

But the doctor recommended this...

We prayed. 

We felt the Lord tell us to wait. 

We called Elias' pediatrician (he's one of the rarest pediatricians who is ALL FOR alternative medicine) and we scheduled something at 6pm to get him looked at and discuss if we thought antibiotics were necessary. 

In the meantime, I am putting some herbal salves on him, giving him some chamomile tincture and starting him on some tea tree oil ear drops. 

His fever dropped to just above normal. 

He started to get up and walk around. 

He even ate a banana and some rice. 

After meeting with his doctor, we learned he had a SEVERE right ear infection and some fluid in the left ear, probably set on from a strange virus. I guess quite a few ear infections are viral and don't even need, or get better with antibiotics.

We agreed to get him on some garlic ear drops. 

Man am I glad I have these experiences! 

And Man am I glad we didn't give those antibiotics!

They would have wiped out my son's immune system and all his good gut bacteria. 

It would have taken us a LONG time to repair his system after that. 

It probably would have resulted in recurring infections and virus like I've seen so many times. 

Now, I'm not a scientist... BUT...

It seems like if you treat with antibiotics, your sick over and over and over again requiring more and more and more antibiotics. 

It also seems that when a child is treated with antibiotics for something, they are prone to getting it again (at least from my experience).

I know what it feels like to have that fear set in as a parent.

You want to do what's best for your child.

And going against the doctor's recommendations seems like such a taboo thing.

I also know what it feels like to just want to do the antibiotics because it's EASIER.

But so is fast food, having the television distract your kids instead of parenting them, and kicking those ice cubes under the fridge to melt instead of bending over to pick them up.

(Obviously I have a little experience...)

That doesn't mean it's the best thing for them

It seems like anything is true, as long as a doctor tells you it.

Oh, you have some cysts on your ovaries?!? 

You're forever infertile, less likely to find a sole mate, and will probably die...

Well, if the doctor told me so....

Oh, you have endometriosis??!

You'll live a life strung out on Oxycodone, you're more likely to get hit by lightening, and if you do have kids, they'll definitely be nephilim ...

The doctor said it, it must be true.

Oh, you have strep throat?!?

If you DON'T take these antibiotics it will infect your whole body, you'll get a brain infection, a hemorrhoid and you'll die...

The doctor know's best. 

Although, some cases are rare and can be severe, most are not.

Don't get me twisted...

I LOVE medicine.

I am SO THANKFUL for the IVIG treatments and blood transfusions available to my daughter that saved her life.

I am so grateful I got my wisdom teeth removed while being asleep and drugged with pain killers.

However, I think there's a time and place for every part of medicine.

I long so badly to bring a long-lost art and culture of homemaking back.

For women to be growing herbs and making oils, salves, tinctures, and teas in their kitchens to heal the wounds of their families and of others.

So here's some great remedies I have for Ear Infections:

(1) Garlic Infused Olive Oil - you can add a few herbs such as Calendula flower, St John's Wort, Mullein Flower. Keep this in a dropper and it can last for up to 10 years. With kids, you'll probably use it up faster then that! I usually treat 10 days.

(2) Salve - Anything cooling, Immune Stimulating or Anti-inflammatory feels nice.

(3) Fever Reducing Tincture -  This could include peppermint, echinacea, fever few, catnip, yarrow, black elder, or ginger. TempAssure is one that I know of but have not tried. Mariah and I will be experimenting with some recipes to sell in our Etsy shop. 

Elias is right as rain and completely healed after 10 days of garlic ear drops  and NO antibiotics :)