More than 90% of all youngsters will suffer from an ear infection at least once but for most they will become a regular occurrence.
Earache whether severe or mild can be very painful and also distressing for parents, nobody likes to see kids suffering.
Parents are coming to the conclusion that the current medical solution, routine use of antibiotics and ear tubes, might in fact be making the situation worse.
Recent medical research indicates that treating earache in children with antibiotics results in those children suffering from re-infections.
In an ideal world a treatment should cure an infection not result in the patient being more susceptible to the same infection again.
With the right information it is possible to prevent infections of the ear and there are many natural choices for acute treatment if needed.
Understanding the common causes of childhood ear infections The problem lies with the Eustachian tubes whose primary function is to drain both fluid and bacteria from the middle ear, it is when these tubes become swollen or inflamed and fluid is unable to drain that results in blockages and pressure builds up.
The conditions within the middle ear are an ideal environment for bacteria and viruses to thrive and any blockage which causes a build up in pressure results in more pain and has been known to rupture the eardrum.
The Eustachian tubes in adults are larger and run down while in children they are of a smaller diameter and run horizontally, both factors that can lead to blockages which in turn can result in infections.
Infection of the middle ear is commonly associated with colds, upper respiratory infections, sinusitis and throat infections, ailments that children are regularly exposed to.
Inflammation of the middle ear is known as Otitis Media but where there is inflammation of the middle ear with fluid build up this known as acute Otitis Media.
The typical symptoms of an ear infection can be any or a combination of the following fever, pain, a bright red ear with fluid and drainage from the ear.
An acute infection usually follows an upper respiratory infection or an allergic reaction.
Ear infections in children should be treated seriously because ignoring them can lead to developmental delays, speech problems, and behavioral issues, the causes and reasons should be identified as soon as possible so that they can be treated effectively.
These are commonest factors resulting in a child's susceptibility to ear infections...
The primary trigger is allergies, recent research reveals that a mix of environmental and food allergies are often the root cause.
The bodies reaction to an allergic attack can cause inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes that lines the middle ear and Eustachian tube which can result in fluid build up that often leads to an infection occurring.
There are a number of foodstuffs that are known to cause allergic reactions, the commonest are pasteurized cow's milk, egg white, foods that contain soy, corn and wheat, tomato, citrus fruits like oranges and that lunch box favorite the apple.
Antibiotics - The typical treatment for an ear infection is the use of antibiotics which is confusing considering many infections are viral and therefore resistant to antibiotics and secondly that the majority of earaches and infection resolve themselves naturally.
It has been noted that children treated with antibiotics typically suffer longer infections and recurrences.
Processed foods and sugars are known to negatively affect the immune system and whilst not directly responsible for ear infections a weakened immune system is therefore more vulnerable.
Poor diet leads to nutritional deficiencies and research has shown that youngsters who suffer from ear infections are typically deficient in zinc, iron, and vitamin A.
Children who are breastfed as infants appear to have a higher resistance to infections whereas youngsters whose parents smoke are prone to recurrent infections as are children who use pacifiers regularly.
Treatment with antibiotics and surgical procedures might not be the most effective approach to deal with ear infections, it is recommended that children should see a physician before commencing any treatment program.