Homeopathic Treatment Effective In Treating Children's Earaches

SEATTLE--In a study reported in February's The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (20: 177-184, 2001), researchers found that children with acute otitis media (ear inflammation) experienced decreased symptoms after being treated with homeopathy.

In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, 75 children between 18 months and six years old had been suffering middle ear pain for more than 36 hours. Children were then given either an individualized homeopathic remedy or a placebo three times a day for five days or until symptoms subsided. Researchers, led by Jennifer Jacobs, M.D., from the University of Washington, noted that there was a decrease in symptoms after 24 hours and again at 64 hours in the homeopathic group. No adverse events from either treatment were reported.

However, researchers concluded that the study's results were not statistically significant, and that another trial should be done with approximately 500 children for better results. The Standard Homeopathic Co. funded the study, and it also manufactured and provided the study's homeopathic and placebo tablets. For a copy of the study, visit www.pidj.com; for more about the company, visit www.hylands.com.