Suggestions on Preventing Ear Infections?

If they suggest ear tubes...get them...they were the best thing we ever did. We also later found out that he is allergic to wheat and cows milk, this caused the extra mucus to create the infection...but all combined the best thing

Me and my brother both had several ear aches as small children. The doc wanted to put tubes in our ears. My mom got us a trampoline and we never had another ear ache again. Not sure how it works I think it has something to do with the fluid in your ears but I swear it works. My son is 2 and 1/2 and we have a trampoline and he has never had a ear problem.

LouAnn somethimes they outgrow them. It's just finding the right antibiotic that will work. I found out that my husband's and my smoking was causing them. As soon as we stopped smoking in the house the ear infections stopped. But 8 sounds like alot. Good luck.

My cousin has used a herbal oil treatment with great success. I am not sure what it is called but I know she found it googling herbal remidies for ear infections. She also used echenasia (sp?) to help build his immune system which also seemed to cut back on the infections.

Good Luck

Hi there!
My son had about a billion ear infections when he was 6-12 months. We had tubes put in and all of our worries went out the window! They were a dream come true! We had to have them put in twice, because the first set fell out so quickly, but the surgery was so minimally invasive that it was well worth it.

That being said, we are now looking for an allergist in our area, because that same son, who is now 6, shows tons of signs of food allergies. If I'd had any idea that food allergies could be what was causing ear infections, I may have done things considerably differently! Thanks to the mom who added that comment, you've given me more incentive to find that allergist!

My son has some moderate hearing loss due to his ear infections, so anything that helps them keep from getting them is helpful. Tubes don't prevent them particularly, they still may get them, but I guess get fewer, and they are much more easily treated.

Hi louann...
I have a 19month old daughter who was suffering from constant ear infections... she'd go on augmentin it'd go away and 3days later come back then amoxil it'd go away and come back and so on... my husband quit smoking, we did everything to try to get them to stop they even went as far as "diagnosing" her with asthma because she was always wheezing and runny nose and goopy eyes... well let me tell you on june 3,2006 it all stopped she got the tubes put in and she hasn't even had a cold! no runny nose or anything... consider all your options research... but i'll tell you i was terrified of the tubes and now i do not regret getting them on her not one minute...

Hi LouAnn,

After many ear infections, my kids were put on Singulair. It helps keep the passage ways open and it has made a huge difference. It's used for asthma and allergic rhinitis. It comes in a cherry flavored chewable tablet and the kids love it. I've had them tested and they don't have any real allergies (some strong sensitivities, but no allergies), but it's made a huge difference.

Good luck!!

At the time our daughter was just about to turn one when she had som any ear infections that we just couldn't keep track. We were finally referred to an ENT dr. who said that there was really nothing more that we could do at home because she had smaller than normal ear canals that did not allow for the wax to pass through. He advised on tubes and with much hesitation we finally opted to do and I will say tht it has been the best thing we could have done for her. The tubes finally fell out and knock on wood she hasn't had an infection. Although they told us that after the surgery she would only be uncomfortable and nothing more but let me tell you we must have had separate meaning of uncomfortable. She was in so much for hours to follow. Once we were home and gave her tylenol she was fine.

We were told to not allow her to fall asleep with a bottle or to make sure she was sitting up while drinking prior to the ENT dr.

LouAnn,
After I stopped nursing my daughter and started her on formula she began to have ear infections. I won't go into the LONG, drawn out process, but it turns out that she has allergies to soy and milk. It is very common to have an allergy to milk. I changed her formula and she has never had another one. If you look it up on the internet there is a lot of info about food allergies and you'd be surprised at how many kids are allergic to milk. If you just monitor their diet they usually grow out of it. I also carried her to a chiropractor about once a month. There is no doubt in my mind that she would have been a lot worse if she had not been going to see him. My niece had chronic ear infections, and tubes. She never had an allergy test to see if she was allergic to cow's milk or soy. She has been sick for 5 years and I am sure that it is due to a milk allergy. Tubes did not help her. You may have to insist on an allergy test. They may tell you that it would not make that much difference even if your child has allergies. But that is absolutely untrue. I hope this helps.

I would highly recommend a chiropractor that has experience with infants. Dr. Foster in Clemmons, NC is who we used it our son has not had problems since! He had over 10 antibiotics in his first year of life, before we finally tried a chiropractor. I was nervous, but it worked. Dr. Foster had two children of his own and was great with our baby! He used a gentle thumping tool to align his second axis (I believe that was it) and it helped with the drainage. I hope this helps, A.

Hi LouAnn-

I am assuming he is holding his bottles on his own now. When he is feeding is he laying flat on his back? If so, my doctor told me that when they feed laying flat on their back the milk "billows" in their ears and they have a greater potential for ear infections. Hope this make sense...I don't know if billow is the right word to use to describe what I am trying to say :) Good Luck!!!!

my son had a bunch right before he turned one, his dr wanted us to get tubes. I spoke to my mom and she told me that I had a bunch of them when I was younger and that maybe the bottle was contributing to them. I stopped the bottle at 10 1/2 months and he has never had another one. His were reallt bad he always had double ear infections. maybe stopping him from the bottle at night will help. It was pretty easy for me because my son was drinking water and juice from a sippy cup at 7 months I slowly introduced formula in a cup and he went for it.

Hi LouAnn,

Well, my daughter, now 4 1/2 had at least 6-8 ear infections the first year of her life. The doctor recommended tubes and seeing and ENT. So, we did see the ENT, he told us there was a 50/50 chance that the tubes could work on not work. In the mean time she had several upper resp. infections as well. The doctors thought she had chronic ear infections along with RSV. She was admitted to the hospital 4 times and the doctors told us all the fluid in her ears and what they thought her lungs, was coming from her nose. They told us she had post nasal drainage at 9 months old. Since I have mild to moderate allergies, I thought she had allergies. So, on a follow up to the ENT I asked of the possibility of her having allergies.

While he did not want to rule it out, he could be for sure. So, he referred us to an allergist. She did not want to test her because she was almost one and wanted to wait. The insurance did not want to pay. So, I went to family doctor explained the situation and she agreed that she needed to be tested. Once the insurance approved it, we tested her. She has severe food allergies to what I was eating and giving her through breast milk and baby food. I changed my diet and her diet, and WOW!!!! what a difference. Knock on wood, She had not had an ear infection in three and 1/2 years.! Is it this way for everyone, I do not know. What I do know, is the 50/50 chance of having this surgery work or not work, was not enough for me. Today I am grateful for my mother instinct to wait! I hope my story helps you! The doctors can just give a recomendation, and it is up to us to decide is what they are saying is right for our child. I wanted a better result, through allergy testing I think I got it! good luck!