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