“My two-year-old gets frequent ear infections. He has had many rounds of antibiotics, but they just keep happening. My doctor says that he should have ear tubes, but I am scared. How can I prevent these ear infections?”
NINE STEPS TO PREVENTING EAR INFECTIONS
If your child has had several ear infections already, or you simple wish to lower her risk of getting them in the first place, here are some ways to prevent or at least lessen the frequency and severity of ear infections:
- Breastfeeding – there is no doubt whatsoever in the medical literature that prolonged breastfeeding lowers your child’s chances of getting ear infections.
- Daycare setting – continuous exposure to other children increases the risk that your child will catch more colds, and consequently more ear infections. Crowded daycare settings are a set up for germ-sharing. If possible, switch your child to a small, home daycare setting. This will lower the risk.
- Control allergies – if you think allergies are contributing to your child’s runny nose and, consequently, ear infections, click on allergies to find out more about how to minimize your child’s allergies.
- Feed baby upright – lying down while bottle feeding can cause the milk to irritate the Eustachian tube which can contribute to ear infections.
- Keep the nose clear – when a runny nose and cold start, do your best to keep the nose clear by using steam, saline nose drops, and suctioning. See colds for more info on this.
- CIGARETTE SMOKE – there is strong evidence that smoking irritates baby’s nasal passage which leads to Eustachian tube dysfunction.
- Echinacea – this is an herb which can safely and effectively boost the immune system. Click here for more information.
- Chiropractic care – I firmly believe that chiropractic adjustments to the skull and neck can improve middle ear drainage and decrease ear infections.
- Eat more raw fruits and vegetables – these can greatly boost your child’s immune system and help fight off infections. If you have a picky eater, learn more about how Juice Plus and other supplements can provide this nutrition for your child.
Dr. Bob