Outer ear infection, treating naturally?

[rachie]

I just went through treating my kids for middle ear infections - what helped that was getting them adjusted at the chiro and starting them on some immune supporting supplements (that I snuck into a spoonful of raw honey) and massaging gently behind the ear.

My niece, however, was just diagnosed with a severe outer ear infection and her grandmother is even telling me it's begun to bleed. Her parents can't afford the anti-biotics and some other expensive meds she's been prescribed for it. At this point she may actually be in need of the anti-biotics and we are considering paying for them for her. But this little girl is a stressed out child (bad home situation) and her diet is terrible. I'm guessing if she, too, was to be put on the immune supporting supplements religiously and to take a few days off to spend with us - I wonder if she'd get better without even having to use the anti-biotics (because that's just going to knock out more of her already weakened immune system and bad gut flora she's probably already suffering from).

Any other suggestions we may try or suggest to the mother/father or try if we can get them to let her spend a couple days with us???

[MaryMarg]

In Ditchek and Greenfield's Healthy Child, Whole Child book, they recommend using preventative eardrops of equal parts alcohol and white vinegar to restore the acid pH of the ear canal--specifically putting a few drops in each ear, especially after swimming (if relevant). Secondarily, they rec prescription antibiotic eardrops for infections. Hope she's better soon!