The Childhood Condition That Keeps Parents Up At Night
Over 50% of all infants experience childhood ear infections before the age of 1 and 75% by age 5!
In addition to the pain and irritation for your child, it also means hours of lost sleep for you, the parent.
Also known as Otitis Media, an ear infection is a condition of the middle ear. Here are some quick facts that may be helpful:
- A very high percentage of OM cases are caused by a virus, which means antibiotics would be of no benefit and can even cause harm to the immune system.
- Most cases will resolve on their own over time…”on their own” means the body’s immune system will take over and resolve the infection.
- Even the most conservative medical organizations recommend a “wait and see” attitude with the majority of OM cases.
This can be difficult for a parent to watch their child appear to be suffering, crying, and feeling uncomfortable, but the short term trade off is exchanged for a stronger immune system and a healthier body long term.
Intervening when it’s not necessary can have future implications for your child’s developing immune system and it’s ability to function optimally later in life.
WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW?
Absolutely anything to support the development of a healthy immune system is going to be protective today and down the road.
Things like:
- Get adequate Omega 3 Fats. Try a pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement to boost your child’s levels. We love Bonfire because it tastes great (it actually does) and meets our standards for quality.
- Get your child moving! A vigorous fitness program is a major immune system booster.
- Remove inflammatory foods like processed foods and cereal grains.
- Correct any identified Bio-Structural Problems. Shifting of the spine creates distortion that increases the amount of energy the brain requires to manage the body’s core structure. This causes a decrease in available resources to run the immune system (and other systems) in the body, leaving children vulnerable to outside factors. Due to the connections between the structures in the upper spine and the inner ear, shifting can also modify the angle of the Eustachian tube making it more difficult for the ear to properly drain.
The bottom line is no matter what condition your child has or doesn’t have (yet), getting healthier and finding ways to build a better health foundation is always a good starting point.
What steps have you been taking to boost your child’s immunity?
Dr. Jamie Richards
I’m Jamie and I’m obsessed with health, passionate about maximizing performance and love being an expert in Bio-Structural Restoration™. As the CEO and founder of Life By Design Inc. I have the drive to lead our community toward extraordinary lives. I am in love with my wife, Dana, daughters Andie & Scottie, I’m fanatical about modern design, and I’m deeply committed to the pursuit of a happy life.
