My son was the king of ear infections. Every time I turned around he was suffering from another ear infection. They would come on so quickly and without warning. As a Mother, it was hard to see him suffer. It was also hard on the pocketbook taking him to the doctors over and over again and again for antibiotics. One day while I was expressing frustration for yet another ear infection, a friend of mine said, “just put a few drops of sweet oil in his ear.” I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about, but I needed to know more. I found that even the famous Dr Sears reccomends it as a treatment .
Sweet Oil is a sanitized olive oil that is used to soothe earaches and cradle cap. This remedy helped end the endless cycle of ear infections in my youngest boy. Place two to three drops in the ear two to three times a day, especially after bath time, stopped the reoccurrences. For best results, warm the bottle by running it under tap water for a minute. The oil should be warm, not hot, to the touch. The oil helps displace any buildup in the Eustachian tubes within the ear. It can treat minor ear infections, but for major ear infections, severe pain or any observed drainage, see a doctor right away.
For cradle cap, just place a few drops of the oil over the affected area. Gently rub the cradle cap and allow it to soak in. Take a baby comb and very gently comb the area.
Sweet oil can be purchased at the pharmacy section of most stores. It is a small bottle that is easy to overlook. If you cannot find it quickly near the glycerin, ask one of the pharmacy staff. It runs around $4.00 per bottle. The bottle has a small dropper in it. One small bottle will last a long time since it is used by the drop making it a very cost effective remedy.