![Earache Remedies for Children](https://www.mlb.com/img/articleImages/315275-7326-17.jpg)
A child crying due to fever and throbbing earache can be a heartbreaking situation for the parents. As a parent, you should be able to provide him some comfort and relief before reaching a clinic. Read this HolisticZine article to know various easy-to-follow and effective earache remedies for children.
Earwax buildup and ear infection are common ear problems for both children and adults. The two very common conditions that cause pain in the ear are infection of the outer and inner ear. The former is called otitis externa and the latter is known as otitis media. Children, of age less than five ears, are more prone to otitis media than otitis externa.
Common Causes of Earache in Children
➺ Swimming in lakes, ocean water, or dirty swimming pools, where micro-organisms that cause otitis externa flourish.
➺ Ear injuries affecting middle ear or eardrum can lead to otitis media.
➺ Dental problems
➺ Severe cold, stuffy nose, sinus infection, throat infection including tonsillitis, etc., can lead to infection of the ear.
➺ Allergies
➺ Changes in ear pressure due to flying
➺ Buildup of earwax or fluid in the ear
➺ Something struck in the ear
Various Earache Remedies for Children
➺ Blow warm air into the ear of your child. You can use a blow dryer, but keep the blow dryer at a safer distance, minimum of 18 inches. Keep moving the blow dryer forward and backward, as you do while drying your hair. This may provide your kid with a quick relief from earache, and may give you time to consult an otolaryngologist, if required.
➺ Put ½ a cup of salt in a clean sock, or handkerchief. Tie it off with an elastic band. Warm it to a bearable temperature in a microwave or low heat oven. Ask your kid to lie down on his side with the painful ear up, and keep the wrapping on the ear for about 20 minutes. Instead of using salt, you may apply moist heat to the ear using just a warm washcloth. Application of heat helps lower paina.
➺ Resting promotes healing, so encourage the child to rest.
➺ Take a cup of water, and mix it with two cups of vinegar and one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol (an antiseptic). Use this solution to clean the external ear of your kid or toddler once a day. This solution can also be used to clean the ears of your dog.
➺ In case your kid is having earache along with the discharge of pus, then try this earache home remedy out. Take a piece of commiphora wightii (Guggul) and burn it. Let the smoke enter your kid’s ear. This is again one of the most effective earache remedies for kids. It can be used for quick pain relief.
➺ Always try to protect your child’s ears from extreme cold temperatures. Cover the ears with cotton or wool caps. You may place cotton swabs inside the ears, but see to it that they are not excessively pushed inside the ear. Cotton swabs will protect the ears from cold temperatures, and hence will serve you as a good earache home remedy.
➺ Extract juice from an onion, and warm it on a flame. Put 2-3 drops of the juice into your child’s ear. For the best possible results, do it at night before he/she goes to bed. This is one of the fast earache remedies for adults as well as children.
➺ Pain in the ears, due to flying, can be reduced by letting the kid chew candies or gum. Chewing keeps the throat muscles working, which in turn helps in decreasing earache in children.
➺ Put 2-3 drops of hydrogen peroxide into the ear, and then drain them out after a period of 5-10 seconds (wait until the bubbling stops). This is the best common earache remedy, as it gives quick relief from earache. Hydrogen peroxide is an inexpensive over-the-counter medicine, which should be present in your medicine cabinet.
➺ Take 2 teaspoons of mustard oil, and add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to it. Heat it on a flame, till it becomes a little warm. Filter it. Ask your child to lie on his side, and put 2-3 drops of warm (bearable) oil in the aching ear. Let him lie for about ten minutes. You can do it with sesame oil as well. The analgesic and antibiotic properties of garlic can help reduce earache caused by an ear infection.
➺ You can put 2-3 drops of fresh ginger juice directly into the ears.
➺ You may put 2-3 drops of fresh juice of peppermint leaves into the aching ear.
➺ Never give Aspirin to anyone younger than 20. You may use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (for example, Advil and Motrin) and acetaminophen (such as Tylenol).
Many swimmers suffer from earaches. Some effective and preventive measures for child swimmers will be, putting two drops of mineral oil in each ear before going for swimming, wearing bathing caps that cover the ear canals while swimming, and drying out the ear canals after swimming. A hair dryer may be helpful for drying out the ear canal. Last but not the least, do not allow your kid to swim in dirty water. Precautions should be taken to prevent the occurrence of cold, flu, and earache.
Children commonly suffer from earache. Unhygienic activities such as putting a finger or a pencil into an ear to remove earwax should be avoided. Keep a check on such habits of your kid. Also ask them to blow nose gently, put ear plugs before going for swimming, avoid listening to loud music or sound, and stay away from smoke as much as possible. All the precautionary measures, when followed properly, will definitely protect your child from ear problems, and hence earaches.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.