Homeopathic treatment of acute otitis media in children
There are few studies of homeopathic treatment for pain in children. Here is the best of the lot, according to two pain specialists from UCLA.
- 75 children ages 18 months to 6 years
- Diagnosed with middle ear effusion and ear pain and/or fever for not more than 36 hours
- Children received individualized homeopathic medicine or a placebo by mouth three times daily for 5 days, or until symptoms cleared
- All children were treated by the same homeopathic physician
And now the results.
- No difference in treatment failures measured at 5 days, 2 weeks and 6 weeks after treatment
- Treatment failure was defined as ear pain and/or fever after the first 48 hours of treatment, or severe ear pain (eg, crying from pain) and/or fever after the first 24 hours
- Diary scores for pain, fever, irritability, appetite, energy level, sleep, and concurrent and respiratory tract symptoms showed a significant decrease among children in the homeopathy group at 24 and 64 hours after treatment
- The diary scores were a composite of all of these symptoms; therefore, it is not possible to single out the effect on pain.
The bottom line?
If you have every been awakened in the middle of the night by a screaming child with ear pain from a middle ear infection, you know how important it is to get fast relief of pain and a sure cure the infection. They are in agonizing pain and you feel helpless to help them.
For my child, bring on the antibiotics!
11/5/06 15:56 JR
