Ear Infections in Children

Ear infections in children (most commonly otitis media with effusion) are very common and can affect nearly one half of all children at some point during development. 

For a long time, like many conditions, ear infections were treated with antibiotics as a first line of treatment. Recently this has come under scrutiny and now even the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend antibiotic treatment for most ear infections! Even with acute otitis media, the cause may be viral and antibiotics will not be beneficial in this case. Your doctor should be able to determine if your child's condition will improve with antibiotic treatment. Check out this link from the CDC for their stance on the issue. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/for-patients/common-illnesses/ear-infection.html

Staying with our functional approach, let's now talk about what can be the underlying cause of your child's problem. A common theme seen across the board in children with recurring ear infections is sensitivity to cow's milk, particularly the protein casein. It is estimated that up to 80% of the global population has some degree of sensitivity to cow's milk and it can manifest in different ways depending on the individual. What happens when you are sensitive or allergic to a protein? The body mounts an immune response when it recognizes the protein in your system, and this leads to inflammation. Why the problem manifests as ear infection or other conditions is not fully understood, but taking the functional approach gets to the source of the issue. You may be thinking, "I breastfeed my baby so what else could be the problem?" Some may claim that it does not matter what the mother is eating, but in my experience and observation of others with more experience than myself, this is not the case. If the mother has a sensitivity and the immune system is overloaded, the issue may very well show up in the child drinking the mother's milk. Eliminating dairy from your diet can be challenging but we know that mothers want to do everything they can to help their children.

Chiropractors have long made claims about treating ear infections and there are many success stories and testimonials to back them. The mechanism by which a chiropractic adjustment aids in resolving this issue involves the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the phraynx, or the throat in common terms. In many children, this tube is oriented horizontally which can lead to a backup of food material and irritation to the tissues in the middle ear. The chiropractic adjustment can help to position the tube properly so that drainage may occur normally and nothing goes backwards to the ear. This is a brief explanation and certainly more research can be done on the topic but a key factor that drives research is clinical results! When a therapy shows effectiveness, it can then be investigated further.

Always consult a physician regarding these manners and do your own research as well! The internet is full of good material (and bad) that can provide you with information. There can always be other factors influencing you or your child's condition as well. If you have any questions about any of the material mentioned, please give me a call or schedule an appointment and I would be happy to discuss it further with you.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Joel Ardner