Facts On Ear Infections In Kids

Facts On Ear Infections in Kids

The most common signs a child can show that he is having ear pain is acting fussy and pulling at their ears.  An ear infection is the most common diagnosis made in the US on children. Three out of four children are diagnosed with at least one ear infection by the age of 3. Most pediatricians will take a look into the child’s ear, see the inflamed tympanic membrane (eardrum) and prescribe an antibiotic. Did you know, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the best step for treating ear infections is to “watch and wait?” They don’t even recommended antibiotics for this condition. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise, not all children will respond to the drug. The most definitive way to diagnose an ear infection is to swap the ear and culture the area. The inflammation in the tympanic membrane could just be fluid built up behind the ear or just an irritation from teething. The less you have to medicate a child, the better. Prescribing an antibiotic without a true infection diagnosis is injection your child with foreign substances they don’t need. If your child does have a true ear infection, there are other options than drugs.  Even if it is just fluid in the ear there are multiple options for conservative treatment.

How Chiropractic Can Help?

Fluids in the ear are flushed out by the lymph nodes when the head muscles properly contract moving the fluids out.  If there is restriction in the bones in the child’s neck, the muscles no longer properly move. If the muscles are not working properly, the lymph nodes cannot flush out the fluids thus causing a back up in the ear. Chiropractic works to release the restriction in the bones by a gentle spinal adjustment causing tremendous relief of pressure in the ears. Adjustments to your child’s spine can also cause and increase in their immune system and help their body function properly.
There are many natural and nutritional steps that can be taken with the chiropractic adjustment to help insure proper function and flow of the fluid present in the eardrum.
Breastfeeding: Breastfed babies typically have fewer ear infections than bottle-fed babies. This is due to the antibodies in the breast milk, and also to the forward suckling action the child makes while feeding and possibly even the difference in the child’s positioning.

Avoid Q-tips: Using a Q-tip in the ear can actually push fluid and wax further into the ear causing an increase in pressure and fluid build up

Gentle massage: While feeding, gently massage the muscles on the side of the child’s neck to put movement into the muscles and flush out the lymph nodes

Olive oil: one tablespoon of heated olive oil dropped into the ear with a medicine dropper or cotton ball. The oil will sooth the ear and decrease any swelling that may be present.

Colloidal silver: applying this liquid to the ear will help kill any bacteria lingering in the ear canal, which will lead to a reduction in swelling, which will further lead to a decrease in pain.

Eliminating sugars: improper function of the immune system will occur with an increase in sugar intake

Eliminate caffeine: Caffeine will work in breaking now normal healthy tissues in the body and harms your digestive tract. These both play a huge part in their nervous system function

Eliminate dyes and artificial sweeteners: these are neurotoxins, which work directly to harm your nervous system and the body’s ability to heal itself.

Increase protein: protein will help the body increase its ability to heal itself.

Increase vegetables: this will help to decrease inflammation present in the body

Yours in health,
Dr. Ashley Hughes
Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center

Source:
http://icpa4kids.com/fwf/2016%20Newsletters/Wellbeing_August2016.pdf