The number one reason for emergency room visits was ear infections in 1998.  Ear infections or otitis media is usually the 1^st medical crisis that brings new patients to the M.D.’s office. In 1975 there was 9.9 Million visits to MDs and in 1997 there was 30.0 Million visits to MDs for ear infections. What is wrong with this picture?

 CAUSES OF INCREASED RISKS

     Children who continue to use pacifiers face a significantly greater risk of ear infections than youngsters who stop using them according to a recent study by Finnish Researchers.  Nearly 31% of children (2-3 years old) who used pacifiers experienced 3 ear infections per year compared to 13% of children who didn’t use them.

     Researchers state that, “Living with two or more smokers raises a child’s risk of persistent or recurrent ear infections by at least 85% during the first 3 years of life.  By age 3, 83% of children will experience at least one episode of otitis media and nearly 50% will have three or more episodes.

     Remarkably, based on a study in the American Journal of Public Health, the risk of contracting otitis media nearly doubles when the child attends day care.

     Regarding the role of dairy and other animal foods in the spread of drug resistant bacteria, “Antibiotics in farm animals leave behind drug resistant microbes in milk and meat: with every burger and shake, supermicrobes pour into the stomach.  There they can transfer drug-resistant bacteria in the body, making you more vulnerable to previously treatable infections.” 

The agency of Health Care Policy and Research concluded there was no benefit from Amoxicillin in preventing ear infections  (March 1994-NEWSWEEK).

SO WHY IS IT THAT THE MD’S KEEP PRESCRIBING ANTIBIOTICS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE INEFFECTIVE OR UNSAFE?

  “We have a tradition of prescribing antibiotics to anyone who looks sick.”

(NEWSWEEK March 1994)

     Among the “wonder drugs,” antibiotics top the list.  They ward off the assault of harmful bacteria in our bodies.  But experts say we’ve come to a crisis point in the battle against bacterial infections resulting from the misuse of these drugs.  Misuse breeds stronger bacteria resistance.  Since bacteria and viruses are simple, primal organisms, they can adapt and become stronger.  

Many ear infections today are resisting antibiotics.

CHILD’S EAR SURGERY IS NOT ALWAYS NEEDED.

q       42% were appropriate

q       23% were in appropriate

q       35% were uncertain

CHIROPRACTIC IS THE #1 SOURCE FOR A PROPERLY FUNCTIONING NERVOUS AND IMMUNE SYSTEM

Chiropractic is a natural, simpler and holistic way of improving your child’s ear infection.  Chiropractors look directly for a SUBLUXATION; this is a misalignment of a bone that is putting pressure on a nerve creating an interference or dysfunction in a child’s body.  There are three ways that a child or an adult gets a subluxation: Trauma – birth process (Dr. Guntman states 80% of children are subluxated at birth), slips, or falls, stress – emotional, family dynamics, chemicals and drugs – antibiotics, sugar, NutraSweet, 2^nd hand smoke, and pollution.  Chiropractors are the only health care professionals who can detect and correct your child’s subluxation.  Chiropractors look for the cause of your son/daughter’s ear infection.  Chiropractors adjust children to reduce the pressure of these subluxations so your child can be in his/her optimum state; thus allowing the ears to work properly; his/her nervous system needs to be at 100% (It takes the pressure of a dime on a nerve to take away 60% of it’s function).  Only 10% of your nervous system registers pain, the other 90% controls thinking, smelling, hearing, seeing, breathing, digesting, and eliminating movement. In a recent study, children under chiropractic care can get sick less often and less severely, and they will rarely miss days from school. 

     In another study comparing 200 Chiropractic kids to 200 Medical kids, the study revealed the chiropractic kids had less need for antibiotic, fewer ear infections, less allergies, tonsillitis and 2x the immune system strength.

WHAT ARE YOUR CHOICES?

CHIROPRACTIC 1^ST

MEDICINE 2^ND

SURGERY LAST

1.      Have your child checked for subluxations to determine if there is nerve interference and what effect on his/her potential is having.

2.      Combat colds – colds may trigger ear infections, so make sure that hand washing is a habit at home and at daycare.

3.      “No Smoking Zone” in home.

4.      Limit kid contact.

5.      Eat a wide variety of foods, mostly fruits and vegetables, and minimal amounts of sugar.

6.      Reduce milk/dairy and red meat consumption.

MOMS SPEAK OUT

“If your immune system is at 100%, your child will be healthy.  No one or no drug can fight an infection better than your child’s own body.  No interference in the nervous system means no infection.”

L.K.

“In our family, chiropractic comes 1^st.  Our child has been adjusted since birth.  We have never had an ear infection, it’s not an issue.”

T.S.

For more information contact Sheppard Chiropractic at

753-KIDS.