1. Antibiotics harm the gut: Antibiotics destroy the bad AND good bacteria inside your gut, which is the first line of defense in the immune system. With a weakened immune system your child will be more prone to sickness and disease later in life.

Antibiotics also promote the colonization of opportunistic pathogens such as Clostridium difficile that can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea. According to the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP), antibiotics cause diarrhea and vomiting in approximately 15 percent of children who take them. The AAP also notes that up to 5 percent of children prescribed antibiotics have an allergic reaction

In infants and young children, antibiotic use has also been linked to an increased risk of asthma and weight gain.

It takes kids up to 3 YEARS to establish a healthy microbiome and yet, 69% of kids are given antibiotics by age 2.

2. Antibiotics only treat bacterial infections: The majority of ear infections are viral infections, not bacterial, so antibiotics won't help anyway. Why risk compromising your child's gut and immune system when antibiotics may not work?

3. Natural, effective treatment options exist: Thankfully most doctors advise a “wait and see” policy before prescribing antibiotics because among average-risk children with ear infections, 80% recover in about three days without the use of them. However, there are steps you can take right away to help treat the infection and relieve pain, as well as options to take when your child has chronic ear infections. Read the following section for more details.

How Chiropractic Helps Improve and Prevent Ear Infections

If your child comes down with an ear infection get them adjusted right away! Subluxation in the upper neck prevents nerve signals from getting to and from the ear. Neurologically-based chiro adjustments remove subluxation which allows the body to heal itself. Read more details on how chiropractic care helps below.1. Biomechanically helps fluid (from viral or bacterial infections) to drain better to the throat: The eustachian tubes in children are angled horizontally, so fluid doesn’t drain as easily with the force of gravity like with adults. We need any obstructions or restrictions to be cleared for optimal flow of this fluid.2. The tensor veli palatini muscle inside the middle ear helps to open and close the end of the eustachian tube so that fluid in the ear can drain into the throat. The nerves that innervate and control this muscle come from the nervous system at a junction between the brain stem and the spinal cord. Chiropractic helps to empower the nerves at this level of the ATLAS to work optimally so this tiny little muscle can do its job and drain fluid naturally, preventing infections!3. Chiropractic empowers the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to function at its best! This includes the autonomic nerves that control every organ and gland in the body. Our internal health depends on these organs functioning at their best, so that we can thwart off any infections that may come our way!Consider chiropractic today for your child’s ear infections, and to PREVENT them from occurring in the future! Prevention is easier than correction. Either way, let’s correct the cause of the problem together!

Natural, Effective Treatment Options for Ear Infections

• Garlic Ear Oil: Multiple studies have demonstrated garlic’s potent antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It’s also been shown to have a highly positive effect on immune health. As “nature’s antibiotic,” garlic oil can help get to the root of an ear infection and kill off the offending pathogens.

• Colloidal Silver Drops: It's a natural antibiotic, antiseptic, and antifungal. Putting colloidal silver in the ear will help kill any bacteria congregating in the ear canal which can reduce the swelling, thus reducing pain.

• Probiotics: Having an ear infection means you want to do all you can to boost your immune system. One of the best ways to do this is with the help of probiotics, which are available as a supplement and can also be acquired through your diet by eating things like kimchi, kombucha, kefir and other probiotic-rich fermented foods.

• Boost Immune Health: In addition to chiropractic and probiotics strengthening the immune system, other supplements can help as well. The following supplements are recommended by Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN:

  • Zinc (10 mg 2x a day for those older than 2 years old)

  • Vitamin C (1,000mg 3x a day for adults, 500 mg 2x daily for children 6–12 years old)

  • Vitamin D3 (400 IU – 2,000 IU daily ages 2–12)

• Consider Food Allergies: If your child has chronic ear infections, food allergies might be play. According to researchers, children with food allergies are more likely to develop ear infections. If you’d like to see if food sensitivities may be contributing to frequent ear infections, get an IgG food sensitivity test that can show if any food allergies, food sensitivities or food intolerances are present.