Ear Infections - The Condition That Keeps Parents Up at Night

If you are like most parents, you have lost at least a few nights’ sleep comforting a child with otitis media (OM), commonly known as an ear infection.

Statistics tell us that at least 50% of children under the age of 1 have had it, and that number jumps to over 75% of children under the age of 5. It is extremely painful for your child, and painful for you as a parent to watch them struggling through.

Here are some facts about OM that may be helpful for you:

• It is a condition of the middle ear that is usually caused by a virus, so antibiotics are rarely beneficial, and in fact may be more harmful overall to your child’s immune system.
• It is usually a “self limiting” condition, meaning it resolves on its own once the body’s immune system kicks in over 4-5 days.
• Even the most conservative medical organizations recommend a “wait and see” approach with most cases of OM.

It’s hard to watch your child suffer in pain and feel a little helpless to make it better for them. Supporting them and helping to decrease their pain is ultimately helping them build a stronger immune system so they experience fewer episodes of OM as they get older.

Intervening when it isn’t totally necessary potentially has serious implications for your child’s developing body and immune system later in life. It’s short term gain for possible long term pain.

What CAN You Do?

Otitis media is an immune system issue. Therefore, anything you can do to help support and strengthen the immune system will have both short and long term benefit. Things like:

1. Paying extra attention to good nutrition. Sugar, dairy, wheat and corn should be avoided at all costs any time your child is sick.
2. Fresh air and exercise. Getting your child moving (if possible) helps every single body system, including the immune system.
3. Supplementing with omega-3 fish oil, vitamin D and a probiotic helps to create strong immunity over time. Please ask us is you’re not sure what dosage or brand to use.
4. Correct any identified Neuro-Structural problems. Shifting of the spine creates distortion that wastes the brain’s valuable energy normally used to manage the body’s core processes. This decreases the available resources for all systems of the body, including the immune system. One of many results is that children can be more vulnerable to external factors that contribute to sickness. Furthermore, the relationship between the upper part of the spine and the ear can actually change the angle of the Eustachian (ear) tube, causing the ear to be less effective in properly draining the ear.

The bottom line is that whether we’re talking about ear infections or any other condition your child has or hasn’t had yet, finding ways to build a strong health foundation is always a good starting point.

What ways have you found to build your child’s immunity? Comment below or post on our Facebook page!