If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
Hi, all -- Micah's got his first ear infection, and several people have
suggested squirting breastmilk in his ear to help clear it out. However, his ped said one of the reasons kids get ear infections in the first place is because their inner ear doesn't drain effectively, and liquids (inc. breastmilk) pool up in there when they drink/nurse lying down. I know lots of people view breastmilk as the miracle liquid, but wouldn't squirting milk into the ear facilitate further bacteria breeding and make the infection even worse? Em mama to Micah, 11/14/04 |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
I thought the ear drum was a membrane that protects the inner ear from
fluid? So by pouring milk into the ear you're not actually going to get to where the infection is. But I'm not a doctor. I've used breastmilk on cord stumps and sticky eyes, but have never heard of anyone using it on ears. morag "emilymr" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, all -- Micah's got his first ear infection, and several people have suggested squirting breastmilk in his ear to help clear it out. However, his ped said one of the reasons kids get ear infections in the first place is because their inner ear doesn't drain effectively, and liquids (inc. breastmilk) pool up in there when they drink/nurse lying down. I know lots of people view breastmilk as the miracle liquid, but wouldn't squirting milk into the ear facilitate further bacteria breeding and make the infection even worse? Em mama to Micah, 11/14/04 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
"Morag in Oxford" wrote in message
... I thought the ear drum was a membrane that protects the inner ear from fluid? So by pouring milk into the ear you're not actually going to get to where the infection is. That's what I was thinking. Unless the ear drum has ruptured, nothing can get inside it from the outer ear anyway. The paediatrician sounds confused, as fluids that contribute to ear infections don't travel into the inner ear from the outer ear! It's usually a problem while bottle-feeding (regardless of what is in the bottle) as bottles tend to leak milk even when they are not being sucked on, and the sucking action used is quite different. I think some children are just prone to ear infections regardless, and that could well be the case with Micah. But I'm not a doctor. I've used breastmilk on cord stumps and sticky eyes, but have never heard of anyone using it on ears. I have, though I have no clue if it's effective or not. Putting anything into an ear where the drum could have ruptured seems undesirable though. -- Amy Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02, & Ana born screaming 30/06/04 http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/ http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/ My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/ |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
I'll third that. (Someone has already seconded)
Larry Morag in Oxford writes: : I thought the ear drum was a membrane that protects the inner ear from : fluid? So by pouring milk into the ear you're not actually going to get to : where the infection is. But I'm not a doctor. : I've used breastmilk on cord stumps and sticky eyes, but have never heard of : anyone using it on ears. : morag : "emilymr" wrote in message : ups.com... : Hi, all -- Micah's got his first ear infection, and several people have : suggested squirting breastmilk in his ear to help clear it out. : However, his ped said one of the reasons kids get ear infections in the : first place is because their inner ear doesn't drain effectively, and : liquids (inc. breastmilk) pool up in there when they drink/nurse lying : down. I know lots of people view breastmilk as the miracle liquid, but : wouldn't squirting milk into the ear facilitate further bacteria : breeding and make the infection even worse? : : Em : mama to Micah, 11/14/04 : |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
Hmm, I *think* what he was saying was that the fluids could build up in
the *throat* and get into the inner ear when the baby was eating in a prone position, not that they were coming in via the outer ear (like if he were laying in a pool of leaked milk). I didn't get a chance to get a good look at the nifty diagram he was drawing on the examining table paper, though; I'll have to double check with DH. In any case, it sounds like squirting milk in would be ineffectual at best? Em mama to Micah, 11/14/04 |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
"emilymr" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, all -- Micah's got his first ear infection, and several people have suggested squirting breastmilk in his ear to help clear it out. However, his ped said one of the reasons kids get ear infections in the first place is because their inner ear doesn't drain effectively, and liquids (inc. breastmilk) pool up in there when they drink/nurse lying down. I know lots of people view breastmilk as the miracle liquid, but wouldn't squirting milk into the ear facilitate further bacteria breeding and make the infection even worse? The infected fluid is behind the eardrum, it won't work. JennP. (mom to jessica, 13 months, frequent and persistent ear infections) |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
Fourth it:-)
The only way anything is going to get to the infected fluid is through a perforation in the eardrum and I don't believe breastmilk has any anesthetic properties so it really is of no use at all in the outer ear. Even though I use breastmilk in goopy eyes and in snotty noses I would never put anything besides sterile ear drops in my kids ear (or my own for that matter), especially if it was perforated-that direct line to the brain is not something I want to play around with. The 'nice' thing about a perf is that is allows the infected fluid to drain and I think that adding addt'l fluid via breastmilk would defeat that purpose. Karen If Micah is uncomfortable even with the abx ask the pediatrician for some anesthetic ear drops ( brand name:Auralgam-although my ENT gives me a different brand that I find more effective-don't recall the name). Between the drops, Motrin and warm packs to the ear all but the most severe infections are soothed. Hope the little guy feels better soon |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
Morag in Oxford wrote:
I thought the ear drum was a membrane that protects the inner ear from fluid? So by pouring milk into the ear you're not actually going to get to where the infection is. Exactly. On the other hand, putting milk into the outer ear will give all the appearances of curing maybe 90-95% of middle ear infections... Lara |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
I've put bm in DSs ears, but he was gunky on the outside with no evidence of
a true ear infection, it seemed to help. Anne |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
ear infection/breastmilk question
"Kmom" wrote in message
oups.com.gnresend... The 'nice' thing about a perf is that is allows the infected fluid to drain and I think that adding addt'l fluid via breastmilk would defeat that purpose. Yeah, I forgot to add that an ear infection that leads to a perforated eardrum serves a purpose. Otherwise a perforated eardrum sounds pretty scary. Those things heal, of course. -- Amy Mum to Carlos born sleeping 20/11/02, & Ana born screaming 30/06/04 http://www.freewebs.com/carlos2002/ http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/ana%5Fj%5F2004/ My blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/querer-hijo-querer-hija/ |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Question for Dr. Sarah Vaughan | Todd Gastaldo | Pregnancy | 5 | October 25th 04 10:14 PM |
Doan lies yet again..was.. Kane0 lies again Doan's phony offer to "debate" | Kane | Spanking | 6 | May 14th 04 02:10 AM |
Classic Droan was R R R R, should I DOUBLE DARE HIM? ..was... LaVonne | Kane | Spanking | 0 | April 17th 04 07:13 PM |
Kids should work... | bobb | General | 108 | December 15th 03 04:23 PM |
And again he strikes........ Doan strikes ...... again! was Kids should work... | Kane | General | 2 | December 6th 03 04:28 AM |