Lavender Earache Compress

Kayne complained one day when he had a cold that he had an earache. Unsure whether we needed to call the pediatrician for antibiotics yet, I thought I'd give a home remedy with essential oils a shot.

First, I consulted my book about essential oils for children. Did you know many essential oils that are safe for adults are not safe for children and especially babies? Do a little extra research before you use them with abandon. I also consulted the book for advice about earaches.

Out of the essential oils I already had in my cabinet, what I found was that lavender and tea tree (melaluca) are great for children's ears. So, here's what I did:

Supplies:

Sweet almond oil (or other carrier oil)

Lavender essential oil

Tea tree oil (optional)

Washcloth

Warm water

Directions:

1. Pour a small pool of oil in the palm of your hand. Drop in one drop of lavender oil. Add one drop of tea tree oil if you wish, too. Use your finger to stir the mixture in your hand.
2. Rub the mixture around the outside of the child's ear. DO NOT put any inside the ear.
3. Dip a washcloth in a bowl warm water (you can add a drop of lavender to the water too) and have your child rest their affected ear on the washcloth for about 10 minutes. You may want to put a plastic bag underneath so the wetness doesn't get on your furniture. Re-warm the washcloth if necessary. Alternately, you can have the child rest their head on a low-heat heating pad.

My son said his ear didn't hurt anymore after using the heating pad method. So, it worked! Some of the cure might have just been the coziness and tender loving care from his momma, but that just comes with the recipe:)

Any other home remedies for earaches that you've tried with success?