Ear infection symptoms and treatment:

Have you ever heard the old saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?” This phrase is similar to the core philosophy of Ayurvedic medicine, which focus on prevention rather than cure. Although the idea is old-fashioned, it can still be applied to our day-to-day lives. And Dimple Duangthip Arora, an Ayurvedic practitioner also agrees with this.

Ms Duangthip has adopted many natural healing therapies, for example, Ayurvedic medicine, natural diet, herbs, homeopathy, to name but a few for her family members. She would now like to share the holistic science of Ayurveda – which has the keys to natural healing – with everyone.

What is Ayurveda?

“Ayurveda is not just a tradition that has been passed down from grandmother, to mother and to daughter. It is more than that.” Ms Duangthip said. She explained that Ayurvedic medicine is an Indian healthcare approach that places emphasis on prevention instead of a quick fix solution for curing diseases and ailments. And its main principle provides us with a basic understanding of the human body as a whole and how we are all connected to the universe. ”We are part of nature, and are also supported by Mother Nature. This is why we have to understand what our body needs from nature in order to stay healthy and maintain balance,” she added.

According to Ayurvedic theory, health is a holistic condition which involves balance and harmony at every level of our being – physical, mental, social and spiritual. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that pain and discomfort are just symptoms of an imbalance, which can occur at any level. In other words, they are a wake-up call for the body to pay attention and take some action on its health.

On the physical level, good health can be achieved when we stay in harmony and balance. To this end, we need a diet and lifestyle which have attributes opposite to our dominant bio-energies. And when we suffer from pain or disorders, treatment should have attributes that are opposite to the nature of the ailment. This is to restore balance or heal the ailments. ”Simply put, when we feel hot, we should have a cool drink. When we feel cold, we should drink something hot and wear warm clothes. This is a simple occurence in our daily lives, ” the practitioner explained.

Learning your own metabolic types

Ms Duangthip continued that one of the highlights of Ayurvedic principles is to make people recognise the different metabolic types in different individuals and provide remedies to help them in order to live a more balanced lifestyle. We should eat and do activities in accordance with the attributes of our bio-energies and emotions. If we enjoy food and activities on a daily basis which are similar to the attributes of our dominant bio-energy, we will be imbalanced.

She gave an example that people with high Pitta (fire) energy are sensitive to heat, which is related to ailments like skin rashes and acidity. On the emotional side, these people are easily irritated and are impatient. If they spoil themselves with too much heat in the form of eating hot and spicy food, taking sauna baths and walking in the sun, these elements may cause people with the fire element to have imbalance and suffer from disorders. To correct the lifestyle imbalance, people with the fire element should adopt things with cooling effects in their daily diet and lifestyle. ”They should stay in a cool place and take cool drinks like coconut water, but not iced drinks because they will adversely affect their digestion,” she said.

Natural remedies come first

In line with Ayurveda, Ms Duangthip truly believes the use of natural remedies should take priority when it comes to medication. Today, most of us are aware that conventional medicine cannot fix every disease. In some cases, the cure is more harmful than the condition. It may also have unwanted side effects if patients take a specific medicine over a long period. To illustrate this, she said that paracetamol _ one of the most popular over-the-counter drugs that helps relieve pain and fever _ just blocks nerve impulses to the brain to register pain, making patients feel numb and suppresses the symptoms. It doesn’t tackle the root cause of the disease. ”You know, many recent studies have revealed that taking paracetamol regularly over a long period of time can weaken the liver and kidneys,” she said. ”From first-hand experience,” she continued, smiling, ”my husband, Sanjeev, is a hard-working businessman. He went down with a fever and throat infection several times in one year. He also suffered from a severe headache. When he went to a hospital, he ended up being prescribed anti-biotics. He had to take the medicine over a long period of time. I came to the conclusion that this treatment was not the most effective way to deal with his illnesses, so I asked him, ‘Let me try and heal you.’ And he did.”

Ms Duangthip chose to apply natural healing. She gave her husband a cup of warm honey and a bowl of chicken herb soup, which contained two or three black peppers and five basil leaves, then told him to take a rest. Ms Duangthip explained that basil or Bai krapao is a natural mucus-cleanser and helps treat colds, coughs and fever, while Black Pepper or phrik thai dam helps heal indigestion and cleanses toxins in the colon. Honey helps treat coughs, colds and provides energy. ”Personally, I think a natural supplement can either be taken throughout the ‘infection season’ or when the first signs of flu or a cold appear in our body. It also strengthens the immune system so that our body can fend off disease. No conventional medicine was involved with regard to my husband,” she said.

Boosting the immune system

If people have a moderate fever, common cold, coughing or diarrhoea, they should allow the body to show the symptoms and let it run to some extent, Ms Duangthip suggested. If natural healing alone doesn’t work, then they can consider some modern medicine. The good thing about using prior natural remedies is that we give our immune system a chance to develop and improve. This method really works with children.

She elaborated that many of the most common childhood illnesses can be quickly and effectively treated at home with homeopathic medicines. With mildly sweet pills or liquid forms, homeopathic medicines can be easily taken and are safe for young children. It can help boost the immune system of children in order to fight illness throughout their childhood. One of the most advantageous benefits of homeopathy is that it can help improve chronic conditions.

Ms Duangthip’s daughter, Urshila, is a case in point. When her daughter was five years old, she got an ear infection five times. The first time, a doctor prescribed an oral antibiotic _ she recovered. A short time later the infection returned. This time, Ms Duangthip asked her daughter to take homeopathic medicines. By doing this, she hoped the treatment would boost her daughter’s immune system. On each subsequent occasion Ms Duangthip also applied a few drops of garlic ghee (clarified butter) for her earache and a small dose of paracetamol to relieve the pain. Next morning, the pain had vanished and so had the infection.

”After trying out the homeopathic treatment, Urshila never gets ear infections now. Homeopathy certainly works for my child,” the mum said.

Middle Ear Infection And Otitis Media

Ear Infection also known as  otitis media—is a common ailment of children and often occurs before the age of three. While an ear infection typically causes concern for parents of infants, the sickness normally subsides in a couple days and children will stop having recurring cases by the time they’re five years old. Middle ear infection develops behind the eardrum and normally follows a cold or the flu. It usually has three types of infection. If the infection is temporary but happens suddenly, then the infection is referred to as acute otitis media. Recurrent acute otitis media is a medical term for a middle ear infection that returns on a seemingly regular basis. A more severe case of middle ear infection is chronic otitis media with effusion or OME. This kind of infection isn’t painful but is called “glue ear” as a sticky liquid or effusion accumulates in the middle ear.

To know a little more about how middle ear infection occurs, it’s helpful to know something about the ear itself. The ear is consisted from three segments, or the outer, middle and inner ear. The middle part is divided from the outer ear by the eardrum and contains three tiny bones crucial to the function of hearing called the stirrup, anvil and hammer. When the eardrum vibrates in response to sound, it causes the tiny bones in the middle ear to vibrate. These vibrations travel across the inner ear causing fluid to move into the inner ear at the same time. As a result the nerves respond by signaling the brain and one is able to hear. The Eustachian tubes link the middle ear to the back of the throat and adjust or balance the pressure on either side of the eardrum. The tubes also protect the middle ear from any germs that might gain entry into the throat and act as drainage system from the middle ear into the throat.

Before a child suffers from a middle ear infection, he usually, as previously mentioned, suffers from the flu or shows the signs of a cold along with a slight fever, sore throat and, sometimes, a cough. Infants who have middle ear infections are commonly feverish, restless and will pull on their ear. If your child is a toddler or older, he may complain of an earache. Yellowish fluid will drain from the ear and appear on your child’s pillow if the eardrum has ruptured. If this is the case, the eardrum usually heals in time and the pain of infection is reduced as the build-up of liquid is no longer a problem. Middle ear infection is a result of exposure to germs or viruses. Children are more susceptible to middle ear infections in homes with secondhand smoking or if they attend a daycare facility on a regular basis. Also, if your child suffers from middle ear infection at an earlier age, it’s more likely he’ll have several middle ear infections before he’s four or five years old.

Treating Middle ear infection

When treating middle ear infection, a doctor will factor in the severity of the problem as well as how long the infection has lasted.  Ear drops are often helpful in reducing ear pain and pressure and can be administered by placing your child on his side with the infected ear side up to receive the medicine. Do not administer any ear drops though if fluid is leaking from the ear. Also, cold or allergy medications can be helpful in minimizing the cold symptoms that accompany ear infections although they’re of little benefit in clearing up the infection itself.

Vaccines have been proven to be advantageous for ear infections that return repeatedly. By inoculating your child against the flu, you can minimize the occurrence of middle ear infection too. Other treatments for minimizing pain include pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Using a heating pad on a low setting can also soothe the ear. Just make sure your child doesn’t fall asleep while using a heating pad in order to avoid burns.

If your child has the symptoms of an infection, you should wait a couple days to see if it subsides. If no improvement is noted, then the use of any of the aforementioned treatments, antibiotics or surgery may be indicated.
As much as half of the middle ear infections in children are caused by viruses; therefore, antibiotics will not help unless the infection is the result of bacterial causes. In the majority of cases, antibiotics are taken for duration of ten days and are administered in tablet, capsule or liquid form.

If a child doesn’t respond to antibiotic treatment, a procedure called a tympanocentesis may be needed. In this procedure, the doctor collects fluid behind the eardrum with a needle to determine what type of bacteria is causing the infection so he can devise a plan of treatment. In some cases, the doctor may suggest a procedure called a myringotomy be done to drain fluid from the ear so the eardrum doesn’t rupture. In this procedure, a small incision is made in the eardrum to drain excess fluid. Healing time for the eardrum takes approximately seven days. For chronic cases of middle ear infection, a surgery called a typanostomy may be recommended. Also called ear tube surgery, in a typanostomy, the surgeon makes a small incision in the eardrum to remove the accumulated fluid and places a tube made of plastic or metal into the incision to drain and remove the remaining fluid and bacteria. The tube falls out on its own as the eardrum heals from the surgery. The procedure has been proven to be helpful in reducing the recurrence of infection.

A new procedure using laser treatment called an OtoLAM can be conveniently performed in a physician’s office. A laser makes a small hole in the eardrum to allow for drainage. No general anesthetic is required as ear drops are used to numb the area. Because the ear is drained and ear pressure is reduced, the associated pain is also relieved. This kind of procedure reduces the need for antibiotic therapy as a treatment cure. Middle ear infection can cause a great deal of discomfort for children under three years old but thankfully it’s an illness that can be treated in a number of ways with success.

Additional treatment is the Eardoc, The EARDOC is an efficient &  proved non-invasive device that reduces the ear pain by treating the the liqud accumulation by using vibrations . The eardoc significantly reduces the need for ear tube surgery (Myringotomy)  by naturally opening the closed Ear tube and drying the trapped fluids.
source:edubook.com

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My ears feel plugged up, similar to the effect of cabin pressure in a plane. I was referred to an ENT specialist. She performed several tests but could find nothing wrong. Allergy pills and a nasal spray haven’t helped. Is there anything else I can do?

 

A plugged feeling in your ears is usually the result of a difference in air pressure in your middle ear and your outer ear. The air pressure between those two areas normally is the same because of the eustachian tube. This tube connects your middle ear to the back of your nose. When you swallow or yawn, the eustachian tube opens and allows air to flow into or out of your middle ear, equalizing the pressure. If the tube is blocked, differences in pressure can occur between the two sides of your eardrum.

A blocked eustachian tube is most often caused by nasal congestion, an ear infection or allergies. Wax build-up, a growth in the ear canal or a growth in one of the tubes itself can cause the same sensation. But, these common conditions would show up on an ear exam, and it’s likely your ENT physician has already ruled them out.

However, there are several conditions that could cause a plugged feeling in an ear that appears normal. Occasionally, the skin within the ear canal can become irritated absent an ear infection or other ear problem. In this situation, itching in the ear usually accompanies the plugged feeling.

This condition can be treated with a mild topical steroid cream or hydrocortisone cream. Put a small dab, about the size of a pea, on a cotton swab. Insert it about a half-inch into your ear canal, and apply the cream to the skin to relieve irritation and itching.

Another possibility is that your symptoms may be caused by a mild form of eustachian-tube dysfunction, in which the tube is obstructed and the air from your nose to your ear can’t circulate properly. It may not be severe enough to cause fluid build-up or changes to the eardrum, but you can still feel the pressure.

This obstruction could be the result of swelling in the tubes. When you’re exposed to pollen, dust, fumes or pollution, it all goes through your nose. If you breathe in significant amounts of these substances — a common occurrence for people living in urban areas — they can cause your eustachian tubes to swell, even if you don’t have allergies. The tubes are only about the size of your little finger, and any swelling within them can result in a feeling of pressure.

The simplest remedy for eustachian tube swelling caused by substances in the air is to literally keep your nose clean. Twice a day, use a salt-water rinse in your nose. You can buy saline or salt-water solutions for this purpose over-the-counter at any drug store.

Spray the solution up into your nose, and use more than you would to just moisten it. It needs to be a lot to wash it out and clear the nose. I recommend my patients do this in the morning when they first get up and at night about an hour before they go to bed. You can certainly do it more often throughout the day, too, if you find that helpful. — Larry Lundy, M.D., Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla.

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Ear infections could be making children overweight by damaging taste nerves and creating a bigger liking for fatty foods, scientists are warning.

Running through the middle ear on its way to the brain is a nerve called: “The Chorda Tympani” that carries taste sensations from the front of the tongue to the brain.
When a child gets a lot of ear infections – or cold and flu viruses – that taste nerve can be chronically bathed in inflammatory chemicals and infectious organisms, causing nerve damage. And taste damage may cause people to focus more on the creaminess and texture cues from fat, researcher say.

When Linda Bartoshuk, of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, had her Chorda Tympani nerves anesthetized as part of an experiment, milk felt like cream in her mouth. “Empirically we know that people with histories of ear infections do gain weight. Empirically we know that they rate high-fat, high-sweet foods as more pleasant. Are those two connected?,” Bartoshuk says. “Is it the increased pleasantness that makes them eat more, and makes them gain weight?     “That’s what we want to find out. It looks like it is.”

A string of studies on the possible link between ear infections and a craving for fatty food were presented Thursday at the American Pyschological Association’s annual meeting in Boston. One study involving about 450 children found toddlers who had tube surgery for ear infections were 2.5 times more likely to be overweight than two-year-old without tubes. The finding held after birth weight, family income, breast-feeding and other factors were taken into account.

“This isn’t in all kids, it’s a small proportion of kids and you probably have to have a fair number of ear infections,” says epidemiologist Kathleen Daly, of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. “But I think it’s something that’s very interesting, based on the epidemic in obesity that we seem to be experiencing in our country — even among very young children.”

In another study, scientists who re-analyzed data from a U.S. health survey in the 1960s that involved nearly 14,000 children aged six to 17 found that children who had their tonsils removed – once a common treatment for ear infections – were 40 per cent more likely to be overweight. Tonsillectomies can damage taste nerves at the back of the tongue. Teen girls who reported having ear infections or runny ears in the year before the survey were 1.9 times more likely to be overweight.

A study of 110 middle-aged women found those with signs of taste damage had a higher liking for sweet and high-fat foods – including salty foods like bacon, ham and potato chips. The women were also more likely to have wider waists.

In a large survey of adults, mostly academics, who attended a lecture series, Bartoshuk found that about 10 per cent of those who reported never having had an ear infection were obese. By contrast, 17 per cent who had ear infections when they were younger were obese.

Other researchers reported that preschoolers with a history of severe ear infections ate vegetables less, liked sweets more and appeared to be more overweight.

“We have an obesity problem in this country. Part of it could be genetic differences between people but the reality is our genetics haven’t changed that much in the last 100 years,” says John Hayes, a post-doctoral research fellow at Brown University in Providence, R.I. “That implies a large part of the obesity problem has to be from our environment. I think this is one small piece from the environmental puzzle – people who have a history of a lot of ear infections may be at higher risk for future obesity through the foods they choose to eat.”

In 2004, 26 per cent of two- to 17-year-olds in Canada were overweight or obese, up from 15 per cent in 1978. There’s no proof ear infections increase obesity risk. And, while obesity among preschoolers has doubled over the past 20 years, children have been getting ear infections for millennia.

As well, “we’re probably more effective at treating ear infections now than we’ve ever been,” says Kelowna, B.C. pediatrician Dr. Tom Warshawski, chair of the Childhood Obesity Foundation. “The increase in childhood obesity goes across the world. As societies get more wealthy, kids get more plump. It doesn’t seem to be associated with ear infections,” he said.

“Every so often in medicine we get surprised. When somebody proposed that ulcers were caused by bacteria they were laughed off the stage. Ten years later they win a Nobel prize for just that.”
Still, the theory that ear infections might be linked to increased obesity risk “just doesn’t seem to fit with all the other bits of information,” Warshawski said. It may be that children with a history of ear infections need to be more careful about the foods they eat, researchers say.

“It’s telling us that taste does way more than we used to think,” Bartoshuk says.

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Another sleepless night. Your little one is miserable and you are fraught with the knowledge that it is yet again another ear infection. For many young children, ear infections become recurrent and difficult to avoid. Luckily there are solutions to breaking that cycle. Some solutions, such as becoming more aware of food allergens, take time and persistence. Others may provide more immediate relief, but it will be short-lived unless the ‘big picture’ is addressed.

How the Ear Works

The ear is divided into three parts The outer ear is the area most visible. The sound travels through the ear canal, past the ear drum, down to the middle ear. This is where the bones that transmit the sound to the inner ear are found. The inner ear is rich with nerve endings that receive the sound. It is also considered the ‘balance center’.
The Eustachian tube is found in the middle ear. This passage way connects to the nose and the throat, and allows drainage of any fluid collected in the middle ear. In infants and young children the Eustachian tube is shorter and lays in a more horizontal position (over time it will develop a more downward angle). This makes it more difficult for excess fluid to drain properly. Should this tube become blocked, infection can readily develop in the middle ear and the subsequent fluids are trapped. Tubes can become blocked by congestion caused by a cold or other upper respiratory infection, or by a reaction to a food or environmental allergen.

If your child complains of ear pain, hearing loss, is unable to lie flat, wakes frequently at night, is extremely fussy, has a fever, or has fluid draining from his/her ear, you should see a physician. A proper diagnosis will give you more confidence in the remedies you choose.

Ear infections are one of the most common reasons antibiotics are prescribed to children. But a subsequent side effect can be the proliferation of yeast (Candida) in the body. Yeast infections may make a child more susceptible to ear infections as they can leave their body’s immune system weakened and vulnerable. The effectiveness of antibiotics in the treatment of ear infections is still being debated in the literature. It is known that many cases would have otherwise resolved themselves without treatment, and many practitioners recognize that repeat prescriptions are more common once antibiotics have been administered.

Finding ear pain Relief

Many children will get pain relief from a warm compress placed over the affected ear. Dip a soft cloth in very warm water or tea and wring it out. When it is cool enough to touch, place it over the child’s ear. Alternately you could use a heat pack filled with flax seeds, buckwheat, or rice. These all tend to maintain their heat longer and are less messy than a wet cloth. The essential oils lavender, roman chamomile and/or tea tree can be added to the water or dropped onto the heat pack.

Massaging around the ear can help the fluid drain into the eustachian tube and provide some pain relief. This can be done with or without oil but if a massage oil is used you might consider adding essential oils ( see recipe). Massage from along the back of the ear down toward the jaw line in repeated strokes. Discontinue if it causes your child too much discomfort. If the lymph nodes (glands) are swollen, lightly massage them using the same essential oil blend to help them drain and to relieve discomfort.

If the pain is caused by congestion, particularly that associated with a cold, keep the mucous thinned by having your child drink very warm herbal teas such as lemon balm, catnip, spearmint, ginger, and/or licorice root. A vaporizer used in the room where your child sleeps, or some time spent in a steamy bathroom before bed can help too. You might consider adding lavender essential oil to the vaporizer, or eucalyptus oil if your child is over the age of two.

Prop your child’s head up at a 30 degree angle while lying down, This encourages drainage and discourages the feeling of pressure often felt when laying flat. Adjust the upper portion of the bed so that it slopes down toward their feet by placing something under the mattress or the legs of the bed.

Allergens

Secondhand smoke has been proven by research to increase a child’s risk of ear infections. Be sure that your child’s exposure is very limited. Seasonal allergies (hayfever) and sensitivities to household allergens such as dust, mold, pet dander, etc. may do two things: 1) reduce your child’s immune capabilities and 2) illicit an allergic response that results in the swelling and blocking of the Eustachian tubes.

Sensitivities to pollen, mold, pet dander, dust, and food proteins may trigger reoccurring ear infections. The immune system’s response to foreign invaders usually results in inflammatory congestion which can block the eustachian tubes. Because the body is so busy trying to ward off the ‘invader’, it is incapable of appropriately dealing with a bacterial overgrowth that may occur in the warm moist environment of the middle ear. Keep your child’s environment reasonably free of environmental allergens by cleaning often, using hypoallergenic materials in the bedroom, and installing an air filter.

Food allergies will need to be identified and avoided until the body is reasonably strong enough to resist an inappropriate immune response. It is best to work with a practitioner who can help you identify problematic foods while still ensuring that a healthy diet is maintained. Be wary of practitioners who put nursing moms or small children on very restrictive elimination diets. This can sometimes do more harm than good, and compliance is minimal after a short while. Common foods that are often the culprit are: dairy, soy, wheat, corn, eggs, and oranges. Other foods may be responsible for a reaction as well.

Eliminate the Infection
Natural remedies can be very effective at curbing an ear infection, but a strong healthy immune system is even better. Ear infections are notorious for repeating themselves. Sometimes a child barely seems to recover from one before another one occurs. Therefore the best ways to eliminate the bacteria causing the infection is to:

a) stimulate the child’s own immune defenses and
b) utilize natural microbials

Because many infections are precipitated by a viral infection attacking the respiratory system, this approach will cover all bases.

Be sure that the child’s diet is free of refined and/or concentrated sugars (table sugar, corn syrup, honey) and low in naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit juices. Sugar is known to lower the body’s resistance to infection, and furthermore it feeds the yeast that may be triggering the infections in the first place. If your child is dealing with a severe yeast infection as determined by a qualified health practitioner, it is important to work closely with your caregiver in making the necessary dietary changes.

Whole grains; vegetable proteins such as beans, peas, and nuts; colourful fruits and vegetables; and adequate water/fluids should make up the bulk of your child’s diet. For a child under 8 months, breastmilk should still be the primary source of calories. Breastfeeding has been clinically proven to reduce the risk of ear infections. It is best to continue nursing until your child weans themselves, which could be 2 years or more.

Breastmilk is also a convenient carrier for many of the following suggested remedies. The nursing mother can take an adult dose and pass on the benefits via her breastmilk.

Echinacea stimulates the white blood cells that are necessary for eliminating pathogens. Children who are prone to chronic ear infections have benefitted from continual use of echinacea throughout the cold and flu season with a one week break out of every four. Otherwise a dose at the first sign of symptoms, and every 3-4 hours thereafter may prevent the problem from progressing.

Zinc supplements also boost the immune response to infection. For children that are old enough to chew, zinc lozenges are very convenient. Some are easier to chew than others, and some varieties contain echinacea or other immune boosting remedies.

Vitamin C not only increases the immune response, but is also anti-inflammatory. Chewable and liquid vitamin C supplements are available for children. Be sure to brush their teeth afterward as this acidic vitamin can erode tooth enamel. You child may also experience loose stools while taking therapeutic dosages of vitamin C. Reduce the dosage until stools normalize and watch for signs of dehydration should it last for more than one day.

Garlic is surprisingly well tolerated by little tastebuds – if they are introduced to it early in life. Breastfed babies can taste garlic in Mom’s breastmilk after she eats some of this potent anti-microbial herb. Raw garlic is better than most supplements and creative ways exist for getting children to eat it. Recipes such as garlic bread, hummus, and guacamole are popular. For smaller children, and older ones who might refuse to eat it, infused garlic oil (see recipe) can be rubbed onto the soles of the feet. It is readily absorbed into the body. Don’t be surprised if your child has “garlic breath” shortly after a treatment, as garlic travels quickly to the lungs.

Probiotics For some unknown and many known reasons, some children have less intestinal flora than is necessary to properly digest food and protect the body from the growth of pathogens. Whether the mother used them during pregnancy, or they are used at any point in a child’s life, antibiotics create an imbalance between the protective flora we need a lot of and the negative flora we do not. It is very difficult for the body to replace the missing flora without close attention paid to dietary sources. Fermented foods such as kefir and yogurt are good sources, as is a probiotic supplement (commonly referred to as acidophilus).

A lack of probiotics sets the stage for fungal growth that has been linked to triggering ear infections. Most, if not all, children would benefit from daily supplementation if they are prone to infections. Research has shown that maternal supplementation during pregnancy and breastfeeding lowers the risk of childhood allergies by increasing protective factors in the breastmilk.

Breastfeeding also supplies the child with important immune enhancing substances, further reduces the risk of developing allergies by protecting the intestines (“leaky” intestines allow more foreign material in to the blood stream) and contributes to appropriate physical development of the Eustachian tubes. Additional substances support the growth of intestinal flora which enhances the immune system.

Although prevention is the best medicine for ear infections, there are many natural solutions to the pain and discomfort your child experiences. Patience and diligence are key, but breaking the cycle is possible!

From: www.motherandchildhealth.com

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