In a great majority of otitis cases, we find that the symptoms began after lactation was dis-continued and cow's milk or soy formula introduced. If the infant is still on these products, we recommend their switching to goat's milk, which is generally very well-tolerated, In some cases, however, the otitis occurs even though no dairy products have been introduced or lasts long after all dairy products have been discontinued. We also use a pediatric vitamin/mineral and chewable calcium for nutritional support and often offer herbal ear drops with garlic oil as the main ingredient as a backup, mostly to give the parents a feeling that they are doing some- thing for the child while the homeopathic remedy takes time to act. We use homeopathy, however, as the mainstay of our treatment for otitis and nearly always give the child a single dose of a high potency remedy such as 200c or lM. Most of the time, a single dose of the correct homeopathic remedy takes care of the otitis and we don't see the child again for another year or two when another acute childhood illness of some sort arises. The following three cases are ex-amples of successful homeopathic treatment of otitis media. (After studying each case, read the correct prescriptions and case analyses at the end of the article.)

Case l: We treated L.R., age 22 months, in Winthrop, Washington. He was a cute, active, blond-hair, blue-eyed child with a history of otitis media since one year of age. Since that time the mother complained that every cold went to his ears. He had a total of five episodes of otitis which were treated unsuccessfully with Amoxicillin. He would develop a runny nose with his colds with a thick green discharge. He pulled at both ears, his face was sometimes red with a fever, and he could wake at night with ear pain. He'd get cranky, but remained active. The otitis had no association with dentition. The pregnancy had gone well. The mother had introduced some yogurt into his diet at nine months and was still nursing him two to three times a day. The mother drank milk the whole time she nursed him. His height and weight were at the 25th percentile and he was slow to teethe. He could skip a stool one day, but would make up for it the next. His mother described him as extremely stubborn and said he knew exactly what he wanted. He would scream and cry if he didn't get what he wanted. He was not yet talking, but was very inquisitive. He didn't like to be held by strangers. The mother noticed no improvement when she recently removed cow's milk from his diet. Another naturopathic physician had treated L. with Pulsatilla repeatedly without noticeable effect.

Case 2. M.L. was l5 months old when his mother brought him to see us. He was a somewhat shy, but very curious, child with brown hair, blue eyes, and a rather slight build. He had had otitis four or five times since six months of age when he first started teething and had been treated each time with antibiotics without significant improvement. His otitis would begin with a stuffy nose, then he would become fussy and develop a low-grade fever (l00F) There would be some clear nasal discharge. M. had been breastfed since birth and was never given much milk or cheese. He drooled with teeth and became quite cranky. He wanted to be held or carried, the latter of which was the only thing which would stop his fussiness. He always got a very hot, sweaty head while teething. He was also at the 25th percentile in height and weight. He had had no severe reactions to his immunizations. He suffered from severe colic as a baby, at which time he would draw his knees up to his chest. He had been treated with antibiotics for roseola the week before we saw him, from which he developed abdominal pain. He was treated with anti- biotics for an infected umbilicus at five days. He was generally a restless sleeper and was

quite stubborn. He had strong desires for salty, starchy, cheese, and eggs. His parents were having serious marital problems at time of the first visit. On otoscopic examination, both ear canals were erythematous. No bulging or exudate were observed.

Case 3. D.S. was brought in recently at one year of age. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and was rather petite. For the past five months, he suffered from constant otitis media of the right ear. Three months after the otitis began, he developed a violent gagging cough and was treated with Ventolin. He had received antibiotics repeatedly since then. He was still nursing and had been given no food other than breast milk until six months of age. He had been given some yogurt,

but no other dairy products. He pulled on his ears constantly, stuck his fingers in his ears, bored his finger into his nose, screamed and arched his body back three to four times weekly. His mother lamented that he'd be as stiff as a board. He would have a thick, sticky, green nasal discharge with the otitis, a loose, rattling cough, and he would whine with the pain. Nothing would comfort him. He would thrash even in his mother's arms. He teethed for the first time three months after the first episode of otitis. He was slightly below 50% in height and weight, might have experienced a mild case of rubella, and had received no immunizations. He was uncircumcized. He would wake frequently two to three times a night crying. He slept on his abdomen, got along well with other children, could be clingy, and was standoffish with strangers for the first few minutes. He was generally easy going and happy. He was very thirsty. Examination of D.'s ears showed considerable scar tissue on both tympanic membranes, particularly in the right ear.

Now study these cases and read on for the case analysis:

Case l. L.R. was initially given a dose of Calcarea carbonica lM because of his recurrent otitis media, fair appearance, delayed dentition, stubborness, and independent nature. There was no response. A month later he was given one dose of Silica 200c because of the green nasal dis- charge, recurrent otitis, somewhat delicate build, and slight tendency to constipation. Three months later the mother wrote to report he had no ear problems again after the Silica, even after reintroducing dairy products into his diet. A month later we treated him for an acute cold with Pulsatilla 30c for three days, but he still had no ear problems. We called the mother again just before writing this article. She said she was "thrilled with his success". It has been seven months since the Silica and he's doing great. She treated him once more for two days with Pulsatilla 30c for a cold, again with no ear sequelae. He's not needed any more of the Silica.

Case 2. Because of the association of the otitis with teething, his fussiness, and amelioration of behavior from being carried, M.L. appeared to be a clear picture of Chamomilla. He was given initially one dose of Chamomilla 200c and has received several additional doses, including Chamomilla lM, once due to an antidote following a MMR immunizatIon which the mother chose to give him. He has had no more problems with otitis over the past seven and a half months, and is " a much happier guy", despite his parents having separated. We treated him acutely once with Ipecac 30c for vomiting and diarrhea, once with Belladonna 30c for a l04F fever, and more recently with Drosera 30c for a dry cough and runny nose. All the remedies worked quickly and symptoms were alleviated within a day or two.

Case 3. It was a bit challenging to figure out what to give D.S. The boring into the ears and nose suggested Cina, which also covered the arching of the back (opisthotonos), rattling cough, and sleeping on the abdomen. Howver, otitis media was the main complaint and Cina is not listed in Kent's remedy as an otitis remedy. Based on the otitis media, shrieking with the pain, and rattling cough, we gave him Chamomilla 200c. He developed a sticky, green discharge from the eye the day after the remedy was given, which went away quickly without treatment. At the followup visit seven weeks after the initial visit, D.S was spending a lot more time playing and a lot less time crying. He had experienced no more screaming or arching, no thick, green nasal discharge, no loose, rattling cough, and no thrashing. He was no longer waking at night, was sleeping on his abdomen, and wasn't clingy anymore. He was still boring his finger in his ear from time to time, but no longer his nose. His face had much more color (noticeable to me as well), and his mother described him as much more alert. His mother was ecstatic at the improvement. He has had no more ear problems since.

Dr. Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman and Dr. Robert Ullman are licensed naturopathic physicians and are board certified in homeopathy. They are President and Vice President of the International Foundation for Homeopathy where they teach homeopathy to licensed health care professionals. They practice in Edmonds, WA at 131 3rd Ave., N., Edmonds, WA 98020 and can be reached at (206) 774-5599. Their new book, The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine, is now available.