Are you or your children susceptible to swimmer’s ear infections, like I am?
If so, I have an excellent little home remedy for you. Since I’ve been following this regimen since 2018, I haven’t’ had a single ear infection.
Here’ what I do:
- I start by emptying one of those little bottles of ear drying drops and replacing the contents with 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. I also reuse the same container over and over again.
- I administer 5 drops in each ear every time I get out of the pool. No need to lie down on each side for 5 minutes as you are required to do so with antibiotic ear drops for it to penetrate. Just 5 drops in each ear, and that’s it.
Pediatrician Dr. Sears recommends the same procedure.
He also says that the ear drying drops, which contain only isopropyl alcohol, prevent ear infections. I have to disagree. Before I discovered the vinegar/alcohol combination, I was using the ear drying drops. And believe me, it did not prevent swimmer’s ear infections in my case.
Important – do not place alcohol into an already sore or infected ear. This will be very painful for an already hurting child. Just use white vinegar in this case.
Dr. Sears’ article doesn’t mention any specific age recommendations for using a vinegar alcohol solution for treating ear infections.
So, I consulted a general practitioner who is the father of one of my swim students. He confirmed that the solution is safe for babies too, but recommended using only 2 drops in each ear.
It’s crucial to note that the drops should not be administered if the child has ear tubes or a hole in their eardrum. Additionally, he shared some literature on the subject with me, which can also be found on the Nationwide Children’s website.
This home remedy is the bomb. It has been a game-changer. And this is coming from someone who spends 5 to 7 hours a day, 5 days a week in the pool.
I hope this helps you and or your children as it has helped me.
Until next time..
Love the water but fence it in,
Tessa
P.S. Test your knowledge of water safety. Take the quiz. You don’t have to enter any personal information. Get instant results.
P.P.S. Join my private Facebook group. If you need to help your child overcome their fear of water or if you’re a swim instructor and would like to share some tips and tricks on the subject, please join my private Facebook group here.
P.P.P.S. To start your child on the path to becoming water safe, click here.
