Tell me about...
Childhood Earaches (acute otitis media).
What is otitis media?
It is a middle-ear inflammation, usually caused by an infection
that blocks the Eustachian tube. The resulting pain is highly
distressful to young children... and their parents.
Who suffers from it?
Otitis media is extremely common seen most often in
children 6 to 36 months of age. Up to one-third of the child
population will have 6 or more episodes before starting school,
and some can have up to 12 episodes in a year.
What should I be concerned about?
Every year in the United States, approximately 30 percent
of children under age three receive antimicrobial (antibiotic)
treatment for acute earache. In fact, treating earaches is
the most common reason for outpatient use of antibiotics.
But scientific studies have shown little evidence of shorter
duration of symptoms, fewer recurrences or better long-term
outcomes for children given antibiotics for their acute otitis
media than for those who did not receive the medication. Moreover,
researchers have found that giving so many children so much
antibiotic medication poses a serious risk to the youngsters
and to their community. It promotes the emergence of strains
of microbes that are resistant to the very antibiotics that
are being used.
What can chiropractic do?
A chiropractic treatment plan featuring gentle adjustments
and light neck massage appropriate for very young children,
offers hope for comforting relief without recourse
to heavy use of antibiotics or surgery. Chiropractic upper-spine
adjustments and massage of the tissue surrounding the ear
can help clear the Eustachian tube blockage that causes otitis
media. Dietary/nutritional guidance (such as testing for food
sensitivities and vitamin deficiencies) may also be offered.
The chiropractic approach is an alternative to traditional
medical treatments that may be less effective and involve
serious side effects.
Other Resources :
More You Know About Pediatric Health
Articles on Childhood Earaches
Lamm L, Ginter L. Otitis Media: A conservative chiropractic
management protocol. Topics in Clinical Chiropractic,
March 1998; vol. 5, no. 1, pp18-28.
Froom J, Culpepper L, Jacobs M, et al. Antimicrobials
for acute otitis media? A review from the International Primary
Care Network. British Medical Journal 1997, vol. 315,
Fallon JM . The role of the chiropractic adjustment
in the care and treatment of 322 children with otitis media.
Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, Oct. 1997;
vol. 2, no. 2, pp167-83.
Neu HG. The crisis in antibiotic resistance. Science
1992, vol. 257, pp1036-1038.
Kline MW, Otitis Media, in Oski, et al., Principles
and practice of pediatrics, Philadelphia: Lippincott,
Browning GG. Childhood otalgia: Acute otitis media.
British Medical Journal, 1990, vol. 300, p1005.