Ear Infections
Ear infections are a very common condition in young children. These infections can be very painful and distressing to both the parents and the child. Many times, a pattern develops of recurring ear infections that never seem to fully go away and may recur over and over for years.
Because most childhood ear infections are actually caused by viruses, not bacteria, antibiotics may not be fully effective in stopping this cycle. And frequent antibiotic use is linked to digestive disturbances, impaired immunity, and the development of other conditions such as asthma.
Naturopathic medicine offers alternative approaches to break this cycle that doesn’t require the use of antibiotics. We work to identify the cause of these infections to see if an underlying stressor such as a food allergy, food sensitivity, or environmental factor is contributing to these infections. Naturopathic doctors also work towards boosting your child’s own immune system to fight an ear infection. When your child fights the infection themselves it prevents recurrences and chronic infections.
Natural medicines that we use at our clinic that may assist in stopping your child’s recurring ear infections as well as stopping the pain and discomfort during an active infection includes:
- Homeopathy
- Identification of underlying food, environmental, or chemical allergies
- Diet modifications
- Herbal or vitamin supplementation
