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Ear Infections, Antibiotics, and Chiropractic for Kids

By Michael Dorausch, D.C.

A friend of mine in Ohio was asking me recently if I had any resources related to kids and ear infections, and children receiving chiropractic care. I searched through some of the archived articles on Planet Chiropractic, and found several related topics.

The first was an article about the chiropractic natural approach to children with ear infections. The article talks about many causes of ear infections, including allergies, teething, fever, and viral infection. To clear up common misconceptions the article states… Chiropractors do not check and adjust a child the same as adults. This common misconception often makes people hesitant to see a chiropractor. The fact is that chiropractors have many different ways to adjust the spine. These methods are gentle, safe and are well explained before any treatment is given.

child chiropractic side posture adjustment On the topic of antibiotics, there was an article about healing without antibiotics, which was based on a September 2006 study that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

According to the article, the study found that most kids with ear infections do not need antibiotics, but they get them anyway. If they’re not receiving antibiotics, what’s a child to do?

Chiropractors that take care of kids undoubtedly get frustrated when hearing stories of parents that took their kids for countless needless tube surgeries, doses of antibiotics, and other ineffective medicinal approaches. This article from 2002 shows one chiropractor’s concerns with ear infections in kids.

Medical doctors are concerned as well. The ICPA web site features a lengthy article regarding holistic approaches to ear infections, which is authored by a board certified pediatrician (medical doctor). The article is an excellent resource for ear infection prevention, treatment, and management.

While I was checking for news and articles, I came across this piece on midwives and home births, and this one on chiropractic care and pregnancy, both good resources.

There was this 2002 article on antibiotics not working for bronchitis (but continuing to be prescribed), this 2001 antibiotic article on MD guidelines with doctors doctors feeling that over-the-counter cold medications are a better choice in most cases of colds, coughs, and most sinus infections. Ironically, the topic of kids suffering from taking over-the-counter cold medications has been in headline news, these past few days.

I also just located this April 2002 article with news of antibiotic resistant bacteria spreading amongst kids. It is several years later and health officials continue to run campaigns to educate doctors and patients about the risks involved in overprescribing antibiotics. One could likely perform a Google News search at any time for the topic of overprescribing antibiotics and we get the same information, too many kids are receiving too many drugs.

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1 Comment

  1. Great article- I enjoy getting your news letters and taking in what I have discovered is “the big idea”. I am currently a sophomore in college and am working towards going to chiropractic school. To say I am fired up about chiropractics and the potential it has for making the world a more beautiful and healthy place is an understatement! I am lucky to have the greatest chiropractor in the great north west, as my mentor. He has taught me what chiropractics is all about. Reading your informative news letters really strengthens my belief in the powers of our own innate abilities. I wish there was a way to get through to the masses about the wonders chiropractics can do for ones health. It irks me to see pharmaceutical companies pushing unnecessary drugs in our everyday lives, and the doctors who get kick-backs for prescribing them those who don’t know any better. Chiropractors of all disciplines should work together to fight the dark side!!- Just my two cents from a future Dr. of Chiropractics!


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