Ear Infections: Chiropractic Treatments or Tubes?

I went thru the same thing with my son who is now 22. I went back to work when he was 7 wks. He started having ear infections off and on until he was 5 yrs old. I told the pediatrician how concerned I was that he was constantly on antibiotics or 'drying up' medicine. He first told me that there are many antibiotics that he could try on him. I said no more. He then tested him for allergies which came back negative. Then he wanted to put tubes in which I didn't want to do. I took him to a chiropractor and he didn't have another ear infection for 2 years. He had one at 7 yrs and none since. I would rather try the chiropractor first then the tubes if need be.

My daughter had 5 ear infections before she got tubes at 15 months. I didn't want to but at first, but afterwards I wished I hadn't waited so long. The doctor told me both ears were filled with thick mucus. She was a sweeter child after she got tubes. She didn't get another infection until one fell out at 2 1/2 years old. I had new ones put in because she is at day care and has allergies and often has a running nose, so I knew without tubes all that mucas would be in her ear canals. Hope this information helps. Good luck and let us know what ends up working for you.

Hi J.,
I have identical twin girls, now 11, and when they were 2 one of the girls were having throat and ear problems. We had to end up and get tubes along with tonsils taken out. Since then she has had no problems with her ears or throat. On the other hand my twin with no tubes but had tonsils taken out has had a few ear infections. So if her ent reccommends tubes we will go with tubes. I feel it is much better on the child, one time thing verses constant visits to the chiropractor. Hope this helps.

Hi J.,
I would recommend taking him to a Chiropractor and taking him completely off all dairy. It sounds like he is having a food allergy problem. I have had great success using garlic and willow ear drops to get rid of the infection. The willow seems to take away the pain instantly and the garlic gets rid of the infection. I always try to go the natural route and stay away from surgery and antibiotics if at all possible. Of coarse it would be different if my children were in grave danger. One of my doctors told me that at a seminar that he went to he learned that children that are on antibiotics early in life develop lots of health issue's later on in life. You can make your own garlic drops also by heating garlic in some olive oil on very low heat in a pan. The garlic then infuses the oil and after it cools you can put a drop in the ear. I do have many other suggestions if you are interested, just let me know. God Bless!

We were faced with the same situation with our 19 month old. Chronic ear infections from birth. His pediatrician wanted tubes. We were not so hot in the idea. We actually went with CranioSacral Therapy (she's listed on here under alternative medicine and is the only CranioSacral Therapist listed - Pam Y.). She is wonderful and effective. When we went back to the pediatrician he was amazed. Hope this helps!

Chiropractic is great, but the number one thing I hear is to eliminate all dairy products from the diet.

You might also like to read Dr. Mendelsohn's book
"How to Raise A Healthy Child in Spite of your Doctor"
He was an MD (now deceased) with 30+ years experience when he wrote the book.

Id find a good chiropractor & a good Naturopath or Homeopath.

I found these links with some info that might be useful:

http://www.healthychild.com/ear-infections-alternatives.htm

http://www.dochubbs.info/midear.htm

I have been going to the chiropractor myself for middle ear issues due to allergies, I am finding it very helpful.

If you are in the Raleigh area I can offer some names!

P.

My son had 8 ear infections in 3 months at one point...in other words, I know about chronic ear infections. He was on antibiotic after antibiotic. Nothing would work. As a matter of fact, he would be on an antibiotic to treat one side, and the other ear would become infected WHILE he was on an antibiotic. So we did try the chiropractic treatments. We went religously for a while. I'm sorry to say that they did not work...not even a little. (And our insurance didn't pay for it...uggg!) We went back to the doctor and he had developed another infection while he were getting the chiropractic adjustments. We also tried giving him large amounts of yogurt so the good bacteria could fight the bad, and tried some other stuff people had told us to try.

The thing is, if the fluid in the ear canal is too thick (they call it ear glue after repeat infections because it becomes almost like paste) to drain and cannot drain regardless of what you do, nothing is going to work except "poking holes" in the ear drums.

In saying that, getting tubes was the BEST thing I ever did for my little boy. He lived with extremely painful ear infections over and over for months, and now he doesn't have them anymore. I will tell you that my son has had 1 infection since having the tubes put in, but it was very easy to treat and was not painful like they were before tubes.

The procedure is very simple and the recovery time is like 1/2 of a day. He had the procedure at 7 that morning and by dinner time, you could not tell that anything had happened to him. I know some people will tell you scarry things about tubes, but millions of kids have been successfully treated by tubes. Good luck to you and your little guy!!

I can understand how anyone who hasn't had any experience with this sort of thing can be slightly hesitant. But it seems as though most of the moms (including myself) that have been through it seem to mostly agree that ear tubes is the way to go. My son had chronic ear infections from almost birth and it wasn't until he was a year old that we finally saw a doctor who could recommend some sort of relief and he referred us to the EENT doctor. From there we decided to go through with the ear tubes and it was the best decision I think I have ever made. My son's attitude was night and day. He went from being the most miserable, unhappy baby to a fun delightful child overnight! He is now almost 2 1/2 and we have never had any problems with them. I too am not always a fan of all modern science or medicine but sometimes you have to give in to the fact that some procedures are way more beneficial. And when I saw the changes it produced within my son, I almost cried about the fact that I allowed him to live as long as I had in so much pain. Good luck with you decision!

Tubes are actaully wonderful and keep the ears drainind. I am a Registered Nurse and was very hesitant to have tubes for my son , but it has been a blessing. HIs ears drain and do not get infected and it is alot better than all those strong antibiotics they have to be placed on. Also, when the ears are infected and not draining they are not hearing properly which is very important at this age and can delay speech and learning. From experience the tubes have been wonderful and I would not hesitate getting them. They are alseep only a couple of minutes and can actually be done in office for older children. They are gone from your arms about ten minutes and its basically routine.

I had a friend tell me that the chiropractic treatments worked for them so we tried it. They didn't work at all for us and we had to go the tube route. My daughter hasn't had an ear infection since and had no side effects to the tubes. I wish I would have done them sooner!

Hi J.,
You have gotten so many responses, I kind of doubt you will ever even read this, but just in case, I want to write it anyway. I am a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. Some of the children I work with are deaf or hard of hearing because of chronic ear infections. Every time your child has a severe ear infection you take a chance that the ear drum will be damaged and will develop scar tissue. The scar tissue keeps the ear drum from vibrating normally and the child looses some degree of hearing. When tubes are placed in the ears, a tiny CONTROLLED incision is made vs. the tear or rip that occurs when the fluid builds up and bursts thru the ear drum itself.
A tiny tube is placed in the incision. This tube will allow the fluid that builds up behind the eardrum to drain. Because the fluid has somewhere to go, it will not push against the ear drum and prevent it from vibrating.

If ear infections are left untreated, not only can your child develop a permanent hearing loss, but he can have severe delays in his development of language because he is unable to hear normally while his ears are infected.
The tubes allow the fluid to drain and prevent damage from tearing. As your chlld grows, he will very likely have fewer and fewer ear infections because his will be less likely to eat or drink in a prone position and because his estaution tube will be larger and better developed. Eventually the tube will fall out by itself and the hole will heal with much less damage to the ear drum than a tear (or multiple tears) would have made.

After tubes are inserted your child will have no pain because the pressure will be relieved and will have consistently normal hearing because the ear drum can vibrate to its full capacity.
I can not urge you enough to go with tubes.
Yes, chiropractic may work, but it will likely require many return visits and your child's hearing will be inconsistent between visits...this can impact his language development which will impact his academic success at a later date and both could have a major impact on his self esteem.

www.###-###-####.com Pediatrics trained chiropractics

Hello J., My son is also 18 months and has had several ear infections. His doctor advised that if he still sucks a bottle to always make sure his head is upright. We chose not to do tubes just yet, as he seems to be getting better since we always makes srue doesn't drink laying down, not even from a sippy cup. Hope he feels better soon!

My family all do chiro treatments for ear infections! I "converted" the lady I used to babysit for when her then-1-y/o had constant ear infections, and chiropractic cured him. He had been on 11 courses of antibiotics in his life (in 11 months), and she had scheduled him for ear tubes, because that was what the doctors recommended at that point. She tried chiropractic (get a good one, though, because there are quacks, just like in any other profession), and his ear infection cleared up -- the ear-nose-throat doc that she was seeing by that point said that the *only* thing that would clear it up was tubes -- but the ear infection cleared up and he never had another one. Whenever an ear infection threatened, or he got a pretty big knock on the head ;-) she'd take him to the chiropractor, but he never had to have any more antibiotics nor did he get holes in his ear drums. Try it! There's nothing to lose, and quite a bit to gain.

I went through the same problem with my daughter when she was about that age. I did it all, chiropractic as well and nothing helped. I really felt the same way you do about poking holes through her ear drums, but eventually decided that her hearing was more important than my idea that the body should always be able to heal itself. We had the procedure done and it was a success. She hasn't had another infection since (she's 3 now) and her speech is beautiful. I recommend that you try, as I did, a few different treatments if you're still hesitant, but know that in the end, the ear drum heals up and your child will be fine. Good luck!!

HI J.,

When my girls were babies & started getting ear infections, I was advised to give them a daily Shaklee prebiotic/probiotic called "Optiflora". They have never had an ear infection since. Shaklee's probiotics have triple encapsulation so they make sure all the good bacteria get to the gut where they need to be, to get rid of the bad bacteria. Optiflora will boost the body's natural defensive capabilities by maintaining a healthy digestive balance. It is so tiny you can also give to a baby.

I have always believed that anytime you can use an alternative method to antibiotics, it is great! And Shaklee has given our family a terrific nutritional foundation. Take a look at the website below to find out more info about possible getting rid of ear infections through "Optiflora".

You can also reply back if you have any other questions on how it worked for us. The best of luck!

D. M. Focht

"Shaklee -Creating Healthier Lives & Environment"

click on: www.Shaklee.net/Focht

______________________________________________

We have done both. The ear tubes only stayed in about five months then he was back to non stop ear issues. Started seeing a Chiropractor and now his ears have cleared up completley. I belive it was the chiropractor that helped for sure.

Garlic Goldenseal mineral oil drops --- they work wonderfully -- just put 2-3 drops in each ear ( I do one ear at a time - normally when my 17month old is asleep - and then let it sit and flip her head over and do the other ear.) You can find it at a health food store and they can give you more advice too. It has greatly helps my two little girl out. Hope it helps you too

My son got tubes at 16 months b/c he had been on antibiotics one right after the other. We also used a chiropractor. Nothing worked. So...we got tubes and everything has been great; but it was the last resort. Is your son drinking dairy milk? If so you might want to cut dairy out of his diet for a while and see if that helps. There is an enzyme in dairy that increase/thickens mucus. What do you have to lose. Good luck with it. Oh, if you cut dairy out you need to replace it with goat milk or something else so he can get his needed calories (fat intake that he gets from whole milk).

.

Hey J.,

I have done Chiropractic treatments for my kids and I really believe in them not just for the ears. However I was really concerned about my son being on antibotics all the time. He got tubes right before he turned 2 and @ 5 months later we started up with chriopractic care. I totally believed it helped but I ended up having his adnoids and tonsils out and new tubes put in on the 17th of this month. It has made such a difference in his speech and sleeping. Hope this helps you just have to do what you think is best.

Hello J.,
I have expierenced this same problem first hand my son is five now but when he was about 19 months old we were advised to get tubes placed in his ear. My son had ear infection, after ear infection he was always in pain, and I was tired of the antibiotics. After much consideration and seeking alternatives(ex: changing his diet, using all natural remedies from health food stores, and other methods) we made what we believed was the best choice for our son, we went with the tubes. He has been ear infection free since. Not one single ear infection since. Although I decided to go with the surgery you do what you feel is best for you and your child. I hope everything works out!

Yes, I had success ending my daughter's continuous ear infections when she was around the same age with cranial osteopathy. I found a doctor trained in this through www.cranialacademy.com . At the time we lived in Oklahoma.

If there is no doctor trained in this in your area, then CranioSacral therapy is very similar and should do the trick. You can find a practitioner at http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php .

We also cut way back on dairy products. What led me to these alternative approaches was "Spontaneous Healing" by Dr. Weil. I think the reason the therapy works (and chiropractic might work too, I don't know) is that it helps to open up the ear canal and provide more air flow, just like the insertion of ear tubes does.

Don't know if chiropractors can help ear infections or not but I truly believe in them. When I was going for about 2 yrs, I was never sick, never had allergies, felt better than I ever have. I went 3 times a week. Now I can't afford it. I started gaining weight after I quit going, my back was tired, I got my allergies back, my head started hurting again, I have been sick on the average of about 4 times a yr at least.
I would definitely try that but I would probably talk to a chiropractor and see what he thinks. There is one thing. You have to have a chiropractor that is into alternative meds though because some chiropractors that I have seen are just there to get you in and out and make the money, some (the one that I had) was into healing more than money. So just chose carefully, but definitely try that. I hope it all works out for you.

i have not had any experience with this, but im with you. i would try anything that seems less invasive first. you could try chiropractics, allergy meds, or even allergy testing to diagnose specific allergies. i would avoid the tubes at all cost, they seem to only be effective half of the time any way. i would hate to put my child through that, just to have the tubes fall out, or clog up, and have to be redone anyway.

Ok CHIROPRACTORS CANNOT HEAL EAR INFECTIONS!! Speaking as a Mom and a nurse and step sister to one whose mother tried it. All my step brother ended up with was a sore neck cuz the guy messed up. I really personally believe based on my education that NO CHILD should go to a chiropractor. They are still growing and I have seen too many kids with lasting issues from being "adjusted" at an early age.

My son had ear infections for 9 months straight. His came form persistant fluid in the inner ear. WE tried everything ( except chirropractor) and NOTHING worked. Not even decongestants.Finally when he was 2 we got the tubes put in. It was WONDERFUL!! Finally NO antibiotics, his appetite improved as did his speech cuz he could finally HEAR!!

The procedure is not suggested as freely as it once was. If the doctor is suggesting it then listen. It was very quick and Connor had NO PAIN. I went in while they put him under. Believe me that was the worst part for me. Where he had it done they didn't even give him an IV. Once he was asleep I went to the ladies room for a good cry. I had barely sat down and they were coming out to get me. When I got to recovery he was awake and SCREAMING cuz he woke up surrounded by strangers! Oh and the oxygen they were using to clear the anesthesia from him scared him too. Once I scooped him up he stopped crying and was eating popcicles in less than 5 minutes. We left the hospital and went to eat cuz he kept saying "really hungry Mommy" He ate more than me and his father combined!!

The tubes will naturally work their way out in 6-12 months and the tympanic membrane heals quickly and easily. The only time they do not heal in my experience is for the people who have had multiple sets and they are all adults who have had them back in the 70's and 80's. My son had one tube that wouldn't comeout so it had to be removed. The procdure was even quicker then the first one and he didn't cry at all when they woke him up. the ENT only used anethseia because my Connor CANNOT sit still!

I will caution you. If you do get the tubes DO NOT let his ears. use earplugs religiously. Connor got water in his ears at daycare and ended up with a nasty inner ear infection that requird IV antibiotics. Needless to say that was the end of his daycare days!!!

COnnor is 11 now and has not had a single ear infection since the Inner ear infection that landed him in the hospital for 48 hours. In fact since we moved from Ma to Nc he has only had the occasional cold and pollen attack in the spring! He has been to the doctor twice in 2 years once for a school physical and once for a flu shot!!

Hi J.,
I have read many, but not all, of the posts you received. I don't know if you've been able to come to any conclusions since it seems you have as many posts for chiropractics as those opposed to chiropractics. So I apologize if my response only adds to your confusion about what to do. Normally I wouldn't respond when someone already has 42 posts but I feel very strongly about this and wanted to pass on my experience. I highly, highly, highly recommend a chiropractor for ear infections IF you find a good one.

In fall/winter of 2006 my daughter (3.5 at the time) had 6 ear infections, 2 bouts of pneumonia and the flu in a 4 month period. Numerous antibiotics that didn't work. Her pediatrician though she might have allergies that were exacerbating the ear infections. Took her to the allergist and she is highly allergic to cats and dust mites (she actually has little scars where those two allergens pricked her on her back). Started her on 2 allergy meds and nasonex nose spray. She got one more ear infection and was still had constant red, puffy, itchy eyes, stuffy yet runny nose, a cough, and was miserable. Took her to a chiropractor that practices "corrective" chiropractic. This is why I say you have to find a good one. He never spent more than three minutes with her, did the same adjustments on everyone who came in his office; it was like a chiro adjustment assembly line. Didn't help at all. Took her to another chiropractor who practices "straight" chiropractics and is also trained in accupuncture and accupressure. We don't do any accupuncture, but she has done on my daughter some accupressure on pressure points related to allergies in addition to the chiropractic adjustments. Within 2 weeks of seeing this chiro I took my daughter off her allergy meds; the color came back to her face; the red, puffy eyes are gone; she isn't constantly with itchy eyes or a runny nose. We still have our cat and the only time my daughter starts to show some allergy symptoms (a runny nose, a little cough, some itchy eyes) is if she sleeps on my husband's side of the bed where the cat lays. We've been seeing this chiro for almost a year and my daughter hasn't had one ear infection. In fact, she has been extremely healthy- she was about the only child in her class who didn't get the flu this year (no flu shot) and hasn't even had a cold. Hasn't missed a day of school since last May because of illness. The allergist says maybe she's outgrowing the allergy. Maybe. I truly believe that the chiropractic care is what is helping her.

If you are in the Charlotte area, I would recommend Dilworth Chiropractic. ###-###-####) Dr. Stryker is excellent. She is great with children. She is very gentle with them and does the least amount of adjusting she has to. She is very honest also and will tell you if she doesn't think she can help you.

We had the same problem with my first daughter. She went 5 months on antibiotics due to cronic ear infections. At 11 months we put tubes in her ears. She is now 4 and has only had one ear infection. They have worked great. At 2 the tubes fell out and she has healed wonderfully. I have heard (and have tried) using garlic drops. They are natural anti-inflamatory but do not take away the infection, they just help with the pain.

I would be worried about his hearing loss with so many infections. This is a time when he should be listening to you and trying to mimic your speech. Any time lost learning to speak correctly can slow the learning rate. Get the tubes. I know a little boy who never had tube and is almost three and can hear well and can't even say milk. Don't lose time with this!

No mother wants her child to have surgery but with this I would say to go ahead and do the tubes. My son had to have them and I had a friend who felt like you. She refused to have tubes put in her son's ears for years...but it was inevetible. Once they did the surgery she was mad at herself for waiting so long. It is a hard decision but trust me...it saves your child a lot of pain and suffering.

I know chiropractors can do remarkable things. What do you have to lose by trying one. Sound like you are negative on tubes so give it a shot. It might work and then you would have at least tried an alternative to surgery and tubes. I had extreme migranes and the chiropractor is the only one that was able to stop them. I had them for years and the I have not had one in at least 10 years. I am pro chiropractor!

We tried the Chiropractic treatment with my son for about 6 months and had no luck. The ear infections just kept on coming and he didn't have any relief until we got the tubes. Our experience with tubes was excellent and he seemed like a new child immediately. The tubes really are instant relief for them. Good luck with whatever you decide!

Hi, you have some great posts so I will make mine short. I did NOT want to put my little baby (at about 15 months) "under the knife" either and was scared and upset to do it, but I have to say that my hubby and I look back now and keep saying it was one of the best things we ever did. We went from almost constant misery to our poor daughter to NOT ONE ear infection since. It made her so much happier and of course she doesn't remember it at all. I am a big fan of ear tubes! If you can find something else that works, good for you, but don't be scared of the procedure, it was wonderful and such a help to our daughter. Good luck...

Hi J., It has been years since I dealt with this problem with my son but the end result was opting for tubes and back then they waited until he was five. He had all but lost his hearing in his left ear by the time the decision was made and I thought he was just ignoring me. Anyway, now that medicine has progressed(?), I read an article that said ear infections can be caused by allergies. Milk was the number one culprit. Is there anyway you can eliminate his intake of milk and give him a milk substitute? It might be worth a try before any type of surgery or chiropractic treatment, which by the way I am totally against. Talk to his doctor about soy milk or even no milk if he is healthy enough. It could also be another type of allergy. I wish I had of heard of this before we had my son go through 2 surgeries for tubes. I wish you luck and am glad that you are looking into all possible avenues of treatment. Good luck!!

I think the tubes may be the best answer. My daughter who is now five had tubes put in at barely two years old. She's had only one infection since and I never knew just how much fluid was produced with an ear infection until it was able to drain. No wonder she cried in pain like she did. If your son had only one or two infections, alternate methods might would be effective and okay. Six months is a long time to have infections almost continuously. I would be more worried about pain, problems with balance, and hearing loss. The benefits are far greater than the risk. The procedure only last a few minutes and a little grogginess is the only side effect. Go for it.

There is a theory that milk allergies cause ear infections that won't clear up. Try taking him off milk for a couple of weeks and see if he improves. It can't hurt.

Go to a chiropractor!! Find a good one for the family, and just go.
Both my children when they were younger have had minor ear infections, and before and I take them to the doctor, I take them to the chiropractor.
This is what worked for me ... when my daughter was about 4, she began complaining about her ear hurting at night (it's always at night, along with a fever). In the morning, she was wimpering with pain. I took her to the chiropractor, he made an adjustment, and she stopped crying. It was immediate.

Chiropractic works.

J., my daughter started with bad ear infections at 1 1/2 yrs old. Long story short, we had tubes put in..THREE times. She had a sinus surgery, she had her adenoids out...nothing was helping. THEN, she had to have a surgery to remove the last set of tubes because they were making her ears bleed. After that surgery, we went for her 2 week follow up and the ENT couldn't even see in there it was so infected. Put her on another antibiotic & went back in 2 more weeks. No change. We went to a different ENT, who cleaned out her ear and put her on a sulphur antibiotic. Then, I finally took my mother's advice and found a pediatric chiropractor. There isn't many around here. I spoke with a hearing specialist first and he said he had heard of it but to make sure to go to a pediatric certified one. She is 4 1/2 now. We started the chiropractor last June. She has had ONE ear issue since then and that was because we flew on an airplane and it burst her eardrum. I was a big skeptic of the chiropractor. I still don't quite understand it all, but I am not willing to stop her appointments. We started out having to go 3 times a week, then she started holding her adjustments. So, went down to 2 and so on. Now, we go once every other week. I say give it a shot. The chiropractor earned her trust on the very first visit and we have never had a problem with any of her adjustments. The surgeries get really tiring and are very scary for them once they get old enough to remember that they've been there before. Like I said, we've had ONE antibiotic for her in a year now.

I have to honestly tell you, my son had tubes put in his ears at 18 months old. He is now 11 and has never had an ear infection since the tubes were put in. I wasn't crazy about having the tubes put in, but the constant ear infections were just too h*** o* my son.

Neither of my two boys (3 years and 17 months) have had one ear infection; I clean their ears out every other night (right after bath) and I know a lot of people say that's not necessary, but it's always worked for us. I know, in a lot of cases, some kids are just prone to ear infections, but my boys have never had even one (knock on wood) and I've cleaned their ears out every other day since they were about 3 mos old. There's also over the counter drops to help get earwax to the surface. I know a lot of people who have done the surgery for tubes (including myself as a baby, I've always been prone to ear infections) and I've never heard of any problems, but I think the kids who get a lot of ear infections also end up getting tonsils and adnoids (sp?) removed, so it might be a whole ear/nose/throat thing; have you seen a specialist for ear/nose/throat. I find they are are much more helpful than the family dr. :) good luck to you!!

Just to let you know, I tried the tubes route (after 6 months of chronic ear infections), and they worked for a month. After that, my son had the chronic ear infections again! The only thing for me that worked was pulling him out of daycare. The second he was out of daycare, the ear infections cleared up. But, I see your a stay at home mom, so that isn't the issue with your child.

I would try the chiropractor. It won't hurt to try it. If it works, you'll be thrilled you tried that alternative. If it doesn't work, then you might have to look at another way to cure the ear infections.

J., I understand your concern. Here's my history though.
My brother had one of the first sets of tubes over 33 years ago at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. He was suffering horribly from allergies and nearly died from the amount of mucus that would get all blocked up etc. I never thought anything about this, though my mother who was very holistic (very ahead of the times in health foods, organic, recycling you get me?) totally became of fan of this procedure because of how much it helped my brother in so many ways. One way was relieving the continuous ear infections he suffered from. Well, all was fine a dandy until I had my third child who had four different ear infections within a very short amount of time he was five to six months old. The antibiotics that he had to be on was actually much more of concern to me than any simple in office procedure. Yes, he had tubes put into both ears at an in office appointment by a very reputable ENT. He is now two and a half, he was seven months at the time of the procedure. Around this same time my two year old nephew had tubes put in at the hospital and bounced back that day. Both boys haven't had an infection since their tubes, no antibiotics at all for any reason. I would do more research. But I would never trade those tubes for anything. He slept through the night without any effort. He teethed much easier, I actually could barely tell if a tooth came in. It really all depends on the child. I honor you though for exploring all options before jumping in. Every situation is different, your child might grow out of it or respond to chiropractic, but others may not. Best wishes! I'd love to know what you decide and how it worked for you.

my daughter had problems with fluid in her ears as a baby. She would get a cold then it would turn into a sinus infection then ear infections. The ENT we say started her on sudafed to dry the fluid. They checked her one month later and the fluid was gone. She is 4 now and I still watch her after a bad cold. She is on zyrtec which has helped with the allergy symptoms. This may have helped dry the ear fluid also.

J.,
I don't have any advice about alternative medicines just an urgency to stay on top of it. My son suffered significant hearing loss due to ear infections which affected his speech and therefore his social interactions and self-esteem. Good luck on curing the problem!

Hey J.! My child had chronic ear infections when she was that age. It turns out we saw the ent, but not quite sever enough. I would wait on Chiropractic. I have been seeing one since a fall off a horse, but it does seem now that I may not be able to stop seeing a chiro. ever. I would hesitate to start so young. It turned out that my childs ear infetion was related to teething. once she mad it to 2 they went away. Not sure if this helps. Feel free to contact me if you need more.

D.

I am a 31 year old, married mother of two boys ages 12 and 4 and a step daughter who is 6. I had to have tubes in my ears at 9 years old and my adnoids removed. My oldest son had to have tubes put in when he was three. My step-daughter had tubes put in and her adnoids removed when she was 3. I say do it. It was the best thing to happen to me and our children. All those different medications, the horrible pain, and hearing loss associated with it. By the time I had my tubes put in I had 60% hearing loss and could hardly smell or taste anything. As well, I have had two infections, my oldest son has had 1 or 2 and my step daughter has had 2-3 since we have all had the surgeries. It helped so much that I can't help but support it. I can honestly say that I know nothing about Chiropractic work relating to ear infections, but you have to do what you think is best for your children. By the way, the recovery time is a breeze. Godd luck!

J.,
I'm not sure about the chiropractor, but you may want to try accupuncture. It worked wonders for my arthritis, and had a secondary benefit on my allergies.
Alexa

I have a 4 year old son who had chronic infections for 3 years (probably an estimated 20 altogether). The result was that he was on antibiotics for months and months at a time and then eventually couldn't hear anything because the fluid had built up so badly in both his ears he was practically deaf. We finally had the tubes put in and my ONLY single regret was not having them put in sooner. He suffered (and we ALL suffered) so much because of these infections. The tube surgery took exactly TEN minutes and he has only had one infection in the year since.

Ear infections are no joke. If you son is having chronic infections, this super mild surgery can save years of pain and doses and doses of antibiotics (that don't work, by the way if the infection is viral), not to mention save his poor hearing. I have to tell you, tubes are tremendously wonderful things. Do NOT be afraid. Give chiropractic care a try, and then schedule the surgery...you'll won't regret it.

I have a 6 year old little boy that had one ear infection after another between 2 and 3 years of age. He was constantly on antibiotics and always had fluid in his ears. After a year of treating his infections with antibiotics the doctor decided no more and wanted me to take him to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor. I took him to the chiropractor. I was told that the amount of antibiotics he had taken reduced his good bacteria as well as the bad and he could no longer fight an infection. We did three weeks of adjustments 3x's a week. In addition to the adjustments I gave him a probiotic (Probioplex) 3x's a day and I used ear candles to remove the wax. It has been over three years since doing that and we have not had even 1 ear infection, not to mention his immune system is better than ever and he rarely get sicks. We continued the adjustments for a couple of months and I give him the probioplex whenever he seems to be getting sick. I candle his ears about 4 times a year.
It can't hurt to try it. If the chiropractor doesn't work for you then you can still do the tubes. When looking for a chiropractor look for one that is into the alternative medicine and promotes healthy living without surgery or medications. C. Deaton (____@____.com)

Hi J.,

I have experience with chiropractic for ear infections. Research shows it's not necessary to treat ear infections with antibiotics and the chiropratic adjustments help to relieve the interference in the ears allowing for them to drain. I would look closely at his diet...does he drink milk? If so, this could be an allergy to the dairy. Try eliminating dairy and doing the chiropratic adjustments to see if those help to relieve his ear infections.

I will be back later to post links to articles referencing the antibiotic and the dairy link with ear infections.

Here are the antibiotic and food allergy articles. You can google these and read much more. I just wanted to pass this information along because not many people realize there is an underlying cause.

http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/160/1/Ear... (Yes, while I agree it's often difficult to see our children sick, it's necessary for their body to produce antibodies to defend itself. Continued rounds of antibiotics inhibit the body's natural ability to defend itself.)
http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/1830/1/Wh...

Here is the article referencing food allergy & chronic ear infections.
http://www.healthychild.com/ear-infections-alternatives.htm

I commend you for seeking alternatives, asking questions, doing your research and weighing all your options. It's all about making an informed decision and doing what you feel is best for your little one.

Hugs,
J.

Hi J..
My youngest was prone to ear infections. I was desperate and willing to do anything. I went to a local health food store and she told me about a chiro that specialized in chronic childhood issues (i.e. ear infections, asthma, which both of my kids had) She was wonderful! I never told her which ear was always infected, she told me and explained why before I ever answered her. She told me about how traumatic her birth was and the complications from it. Anyway, the holistic doc told us to stay away from dairy (switch to soy, hemp, rice milk), sugar all of which feed bacteria and yeast which causes health issues.
Good luck!
W.

Hi J., My adopted son, also my grandson, had ear infections. We did not want to do the tubes. We took him to the chiropractor and we used a herbal antiseptic by Progena. progena.com, when you get to the site on the left click on specialty products, then scroll down to the herbal antiseptic, you can click on that and see the ingredients. We had great success with this treatment. Never use it straight, one drop diluted in a few drops works.We also curbed the sweets. His bio paarents had never taken care of the infections so they were pretty severe. He is now in the first grade and is doing average for his age, he does have some residual problems, but has not had infections since we did these treatments.
Also we do not allow anyone to smoke around our son, the smoke causes the ear tubes to swell. We eat as natural a diet as we can.
I wish you much success. Congrats on being a stay at home MOM LIZ:)

My best friend has 3 children AND her husband is a chiropractor. He began adjusting his children when they were very young. So far NONE of them have had ear problems and they are ages 6, 4, & 3. He said the key to it is catching any problems early, or just getting them adjusted when they are very small and keeping them in the routine to PREVENT any future problems. My son's ear problems came on unexpectedly, without warning, so needless to say, I didn't have the option of using a chiropractor once we found out the problem. He was having the surgery (adnoid removal & tubes) within 3 weeks of finding out the problem. He's done great with them so far, his speech is wonderful for his age, but he is going to have to get them replaced in the next month. It is common for a child to get 2 or more sets of tubes. It may not be just a one time thing. Hope this sheds some light on your situation, and helps you with your options. Good Luck & God Bless!

My pediatrician threatened both my children with tubes, but we never had to. Some are too quick to do that. I found with my 10 month old when the doctor prescribed albuterol breathing treatments (even though he doesn't have asthma), they cleared up his whole sinus cavity, his stuffy nose, cough, congestion, and also his ear congestion. (You probably know they are all connected.) Albuterol opens up the airways and probably opened his ears as a "side effect". Maybe your doc would prescribe that for you.