What can I do about ear infections in my baby?
Otitis media (middle ear infections) is another source of grief for our precious little ones.  There is uncertainty among experts as to the best solution for this common condition.  Recent research has started to show the ineffectiveness of antibiotics for middle ear infections.  In fact the New England Journal of Medicine reported, “Only 1 in 8 children with ear infections benefit from antibiotics, and researchers found that most subjects who received placebo recovered just as quickly as subjects taking prescription antibiotics.”   The study continued “Within one week 81% of placebo subjects had recuperated.”
Of almost greater interest in this study, however, was how lead author Dr. J. Owen Hendley shared the same concerns about prescription side-effects and antibiotic resistance that chiropractors and other holistic health care professionals have worried about for decades.  He advised physicians to prescribe antibiotics for ear infections sparingly, and suggested that practitioners wait 48 to 72 hours before administering drugs as ear infections often mend on their own.
Many studies have shown the connection between mechanical dysfunction of the Eustachian tube and middle ear infections, which make treating ear infections with chiropractic care a reasonable solution.  There are special drops that can be placed in the child’s ear, as well as supplements that can be given that will enhance the chiropractic adjustment and increase the speed of recovery for the child.
The evidence for chiropractic care for mothers and their little bundles is steadily growing in the research literature.