How can I prevent my baby from getting ear infections?
Can ear infections be prevented?
- Vaccinate your child against the flu.
- It is recommended that you vaccinate your child with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13).
- Wash hands frequently.
- Avoid exposing your baby to cigarette smoke.
- Never put your baby down for a nap, or for the night, with a bottle.
What causes babies to keep getting ear infections?
In young children, congestion and swelling from a cold virus can cause the Eustachian tube to become blocked, leading to fluid buildup and bacteria being trapped in the middle ear. “Young children catch an average of 10 to 12 viral colds per year, which can create the right condition for ear infections to start,” Dr.
How can I prevent my breastfed baby from getting ear infections?
Protection Against Ear Infections
- Regularly wash your and your baby’s hands to reduce the chances of them catching a cold.
- Reduce the use of pacifiers.
- Don’t smoke.
- Keep your infant away from second-hand smoke.
Can ear infections be prevented?
Vaccinate your child Studies show vaccinated children have fewer ear infections. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of middle ear infections. The flu vaccine can also help prevent ear infections.
Does pacifier use cause ear infections?
Continuous sucking on a pacifier causes the auditory tubes to become abnormally open, which allows secretions from the throat to seep into the middle ear. This transmission of bacteria in the secretions may lead to middle ear infections.
Can teething cause ear infections?
Can babies get ear infections from teething? Although teething pain and ear pain are linked, teething doesn’t cause ear infections. The thing that’s most likely to cause an ear infection is actually the common cold.
Why do breastfed babies get less ear infections?
The main reason, Chonmaitree said, is that breast milk contains antibodies that can help protect babies against infections. There’s also the fact that breast-fed babies are less likely to spend time drinking from a bottle while lying down, Bernstein noted.
Will breast milk help an ear infection?
Some moms have reported that just a drop of breast milk into your baby’s ear every few hours can help ease the discomfort that ear infections cause. Continuing to nurse and the sucking motion can also help your baby get over an ear infection easier.
When do babies start getting ear infections?
Middle ear infection is the most common childhood illness (other than a cold). Ear infections occur most often in children who are between age 3 months and 3 years, and are common until age 8.
How can I prevent ear infections naturally?
Apple cider vinegar with warm water ear drops
- Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar with warm, not hot, water.
- Apply 5 to 10 drops in each affected ear using a clean dropper bottle or baby syringe.
- Cover your ear with a cotton ball or clean cloth and lean on your side to let drops enter and sit in the ear.
Do dummies help ear infections?
They conducted a study comparing the use of pacifiers and risk of ear infections. Results of the study, reported in the September issue of Pediatrics, suggest that limiting pacifier use can cut the number of ear infections by 29%.
At what age do babies get ear infections?
Ear infections are common in kids, especially babies between ages 6 and 18 months. One reason may be simple anatomy. The tube that drains fluid from inside each ear is much shorter in children than in adults. In children, ear infections often follow a cold virus.