Anyone treated ear infection without anti-biotics?

[GoingLoopy]

My dts (2yrs 8mnths)have bad colds which have got progressively worse over the last couple of days. yesterday they both had fevers and slept most of the day. I am worried that they may have the beginnings of ear infections. LAst year they both had frequent colds which ended up with ear infections - pattern is same as with this cold - and they both had antibiotics several times. I really want to avoid the ABs if possible and if they are not better tomorrow and i take them to doctor I want to have arguments and information with me to get support for not giving them ABs. Anyone done this and got any tips?

I am clearing their nose with saline, rubbing vicks type stuff on their chests, have given them anti-inflammatories (as previously prescribed and instructued by doctor), and they are sleeping with onions in their rooms, I have also given them homeopathic eardrops.

Personally I wouldn't risk it. My dd had one at 4 months and was in total agony. I wanted to end that for her asap.

Hi there,

Hope your kids are on the mend. I'm a bit late posting but a lot of people talk about using garlic oil to successfully treat ear infections without antibiotics. Try here: www.ehow.com/how_2181310_warm-garlic-oil-ear-infections.html or Google it, there's loads of info. I've never had to try it so can't give first-hand advice.

If your DCs are prone to ear infections cranial oestopathy can help.

All GPs know that ear infections should generally be treated with NO antibiotics for 48hrs. They will usually settled down during this time with paracetamol and ibuprofen. Only after this time should antibiotics be considered.

An extensive review of the use of antibiotics in acute ear infections concluded that the evidence from randomised, placebo controlled trials that routine use of antimicrobials decreases the severity and duration of symptoms and prevents complications is weak - Glasziou PP, Del Mar CB, Sanders SL, et al. Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000219

As for cranial osteopathy, there is absolutely no evidence for it. Pure voodoo and a great way to waste your money. It amounts to child abuse.

My understanding that antibiotics reduce the duration of an ear infection by, at the most, 24 hours. I thought current advice was to treat the symptoms and let the child's body deal with the infection.

My two eldest suffer ear infections regularly in the winter. Treatment with calpol and ibuprofen syrup is what the doctor recomends and they are extremely unlikely to prescribe ABs.
Warm olive oil has helped mine in the past. Dabbed sparingly into the ear canal on cotton wool.
Friend also recommended homeopathic stuff she got from a local clinic.

I tried to let it go naturally on GP advice, DDs fever got to 105. Within 24 hrs of AB she was a dififferent baby. Felt so awful would never ever leave an ear infection in a baby again.

A question for the GoingLoopy - Why, if you (sensibly) don't want the children to have antibiotics, are you taking them to the GP in the first place?