Category: News

Food allergies in children can be concerning, especially when symptoms appear suddenly or for the first time. Some reactions are mild, while others can be more serious and need quick attention.

Food allergies can run in families, but that’s not always the case. Keeping an eye on foods that other family members react to can be helpful, but children can also develop allergies that no one saw coming.

Knowing the early signs can help you respond quickly and get your child the care they need. With the right support, children with food allergies can stay safe and continue to enjoy mealtime on their own terms.

What Are Food Allergies?

A food allergy happens when the body’s immune system reacts to a certain food as if it were harmful. Even a small amount can trigger symptoms. What’s happening in your child’s body is this: Their immune system is mistaking a harmless food protein as a threat, and so it produces Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies.

When your child encounters the food protein again, their body releases chemicals like histamine, which can cause anything from hives to anaphylaxis.

Some of the most common food allergies in children include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Soy
• Wheat
• Fish and shellfish

Reactions can happen within minutes or up to a few hours after eating, so it’s always good to keep an eye on kiddos who are eating these foods for the first or second time. Usually, they react after being exposed to the food once before.

Early Allergy Symptoms in Children

Allergy symptoms in kids can vary, but they often affect the skin, stomach, or breathing. These symptoms may be mild at first, but they can change quickly.

Common early signs include:

• Hives or red, itchy skin
• Swelling of the lips, face, or eyelids
• Itching in the mouth or throat
• Stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Signs of a More Serious Allergic Reaction

In some cases, a food allergy can lead to a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. This is a medical emergency that requires professional intervention.

Watch for:

• Difficulty breathing or wheezing
• Swelling of the throat or trouble swallowing
• Persistent coughing
• Dizziness or fainting
• Pale or bluish skin

If your child has any of these symptoms, seek emergency care right away. If your child develops an allergy that causes anaphylaxis, your healthcare provider may prescribe an EpiPen.

An EpiPen is a prescription auto-injector that can be carried in case of emergencies. EpiPens treat life-threatening allergic reactions by swiftly delivering medication that reverses the symptoms of anaphylaxis. Even children can learn to use an EpiPen effectively, but emergency medical treatment should always be sought, even after successful use.

When Do Food Allergies First Appear in Kids?

Food allergies can develop at any age, but they often appear in infancy or early childhood. Some children react the first time they try a new food, while others may develop a reaction after eating the same food multiple times.

Introducing new foods one at a time can make it easier to notice any reactions. It’s worth noting that there is no evidence that delaying the introduction of foods helps prevent allergic reactions. In fact, some healthcare professionals suggest introducing the foods as early as possible.

Childhood Food Allergies: What to Do If You Notice Symptoms

It’s always better to be cautious, especially with new or unexpected symptoms. If you think your child may be having an allergic reaction:

• Stop the food right away.
• Watch symptoms closely, especially for any changes in breathing.
• Contact your pediatrician for guidance.
• Seek emergency care if symptoms become severe.

How Food Allergies in Kids Are Diagnosed

If a food allergy is suspected, your pediatrician may refer you to an allergy specialist. This helps identify which foods to avoid and how to manage future reactions safely.

Diagnosis may require:

• A detailed health and food history
• Skin or blood testing
• A supervised food challenge in some cases

Food Allergies: Helping Your Child Stay Safe

Many families find that routines become easier over time. Managing food allergies in children often involves a few daily habits:

• Reading food labels carefully
• Communicating with schools, caregivers, and family members
• Keeping safe, allergy-friendly foods on hand
• Having an emergency plan in place if prescribed

When to Talk to Your Pediatrician About Food Allergies

If your child shows possible allergy symptoms after eating, it’s important to follow up with your pediatrician, even if the reaction seems mild. Allergies can change over time, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Early evaluation can help prevent more serious reactions and give you clear guidance moving forward. As your child gets older, your pediatrician can help you develop a strategy to help your child express their needs in environments where caregivers might not know about their allergens, and what to do if they accidentally eat an allergen.

Food Allergies in Kids: Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

A food allergy involves the immune system and can cause symptoms like hives, swelling, or breathing problems. A food intolerance usually affects digestion and may cause bloating, gas, or stomach discomfort, but it is not life-threatening.

Can food allergies go away over time?

Some food allergies in children, such as to milk or eggs, may improve as they get older. Others, such as peanut or tree nut allergies, are more likely to persist into adulthood. Your child’s provider can help monitor changes over time.

How quickly do food allergy symptoms appear after eating?

Symptoms can appear within minutes or up to a few hours after eating the food. Faster reactions are more common with true food allergies.

Should I avoid giving my child common allergens?

Current guidance often supports the early introduction of common allergens (when appropriate), as this may help reduce the risk of developing allergies. It’s best to discuss timing and approach with your pediatrician, especially if your child is at higher risk.

What should I do if my child has a known food allergy?

Follow your provider’s guidance closely. This may include avoiding specific foods, carrying emergency medication if prescribed, and making sure caregivers understand your child’s allergy and response plan.

Children need a wide range of vitamins and nutrients to support healthy growth, brain development, energy levels, and immune function. As parents, we hope our kids will get what they need from a balanced diet, but providing one is sometimes easier said than done. Plus, vitamin deficiencies can result from rapid growth, picky-eating phases, food sensitivities, or certain medical conditions.

Often, the signs of a vitamin deficiency are subtle. You might notice changes in energy, mood, appetite, or overall health before realizing nutrition could be at the root of the issue.

Below, we’ll look at some common signs of vitamin deficiencies in children, how to support healthy nutrition at home, and when you might want to contact your pediatrician for additional guidance.

Common Signs of Vitamin Deficiencies in Children

Every child is different, so their symptoms can vary greatly depending on which nutrient is lacking.

However, some common warning signs may include:

• Frequent fatigue or low energy
• Pale skin
• Frequent illnesses or infections
• Slow growth or poor weight gain
• Trouble concentrating
• Mood changes or irritability
• Dry skin or brittle hair
• Delayed wound healing
• Muscle weakness
• Bone or joint pain
• Mouth sores or cracked lips
• Changes in appetite

These symptoms do not always indicate a vitamin deficiency, but they may be worth discussing with your pediatrician.

Iron Deficiency: A Common Culprit

Iron deficiency is especially common in children and can sometimes lead to anemia. Kids with low iron levels may appear tired, weak, pale, or short of breath during activity. Some children may also have difficulty concentrating at school or seem more irritable than usual.

When it comes to anemia, we’ve noticed that higher-risk kids sometimes:

• Are picky eaters
• Follow restrictive diets
• Experience rapid growth
• Drink large amounts of cow’s milk

No one knows your child better than you. If you think your child might be anemic, reach out to your pediatrician. They can help you develop a strategy to treat iron-deficiency anemia, which may include dietary changes, daily oral iron supplements, adding iron-fortified foods, or increasing vitamin C to improve absorption.

Vitamin D Deficiency Can Affect Growing Bones

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and supports healthy bone development. Because vitamin D comes primarily from sunlight exposure and certain foods, some children may not get enough year-round.

Your pediatrician can help you come up with a safe strategy for increasing vitamin D intake so your child gets the support they need for healthy brain cell function, muscle function, and immune health. Low vitamin D levels may contribute to:

• Bone pain
• Muscle weakness
• Delayed growth
• Frequent fractures
• Fatigue

Extremely Picky Eating Can Increase Your Child’s Risk

Many children go through phases where they avoid vegetables, proteins, or entire food groups. While picky eating is common, extremely limited diets can sometimes lead to nutritional gaps over time.

Children with food allergies, digestive disorders, sensory sensitivities, or highly selective eating habits may be at greater risk of deficiencies and may benefit from a nutritional evaluation.

Modern Diets Often Make Nutrition More Complicated

It’s natural for parents to assume their children are getting proper nutrition from familiar foods and meals. Unfortunately, modern diets (and even specific food items) are often very different from what they were a generation or two ago.

Today, there’s a tremendous amount of food that’s marketed as being “fortified,” “whole grain,” or “especially for kids,” and these products are designed to be convenient and appealing to children. It can be surprising to learn that these very same food items may contain added sugar, sodium, or refined ingredients with limited nutritional value.

Here are a few things that might seem healthy (and sometimes can be, if you read labels and do your research) but often are not:

• Breakfast cereals
• Granola
• Protein or “energy” bars
• Yogurts
• Juices and sports drinks
• Breads
• Lunch meats
• “Veggie” chips

Kids don’t always go nuts for whole foods, so try making a few small changes over time. Limit heavily processed foods when possible, and balance snacks with whole-food fruits and vegetables. When kids need more vitamins but don’t always love eating them, consider making smoothies at home so you can control the ingredients.

Supporting Healthy Nutrition at Home

In many cases, small dietary modifications can make a significant difference. Parents can support healthy nutrition by:

• Offering a variety of fruits and vegetables
• Including iron-rich foods like beans, spinach, eggs, and lean meats
• Encouraging balanced meals and snacks
• Limiting excessive sugary drinks and processed foods
• Seeking professional medical guidance before starting supplements

When Should Parents Talk to a Pediatrician?

It’s a good idea to speak with your child’s pediatrician if you notice:

• Ongoing fatigue
• Poor growth
• Frequent illness
• Significant dietary restrictions
• Developmental concerns
• Symptoms that don’t improve

A pediatrician can review your child’s diet, growth patterns, medical history, and symptoms to determine whether testing or dietary changes may help.

To talk more about your child’s nutrition and whether you might need to address a vitamin deficiency, call Petite Pediatrics in Santa Barbara, CA at (805) 845-1221 today. We’re here to support you through what can be a confusing and challenging situation.

The mission of Petite Pediatrics has always been to optimize medical care and provide services that parents desire and children deserve. With this in mind, I am excited to introduce the Pod Care Program at Petite Pediatrics. The Pod Care Program encompasses home visits, virtual care, and our Pod Care site, which is a secure outdoor care space with a Basecamp Airstream Trailer and adjacent pergola. As patients of Petite Pediatrics, your Peapod Membership provides direct access to the Pod Care Program.

Petite Pediatrics has long offered conveniences such as telehealth and virtual care through the Peapod Membership Program. These features have been our standard-of-care, distinguishing us from a general pediatric office. By establishing the Pod Care Program at Petite Pediatrics, we are able to further distinguish our care services for children and offer more choices for families who desire secure, safe and convenient delivery of medical care.

With safety as a top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, launching our home visit service for children with a telehealth and virtual care platform has been an essential way for us to continue to care for our patients. Additionally, our enhanced office safety features, environment controls and outdoor care site provide more security for families and staff during the necessary in-person experiences at the office. I am pleased to be able to extend the Pod Care Program to patients at Petite Pediatrics as we adapt to the changing needs of our community.

The Pod Care Program will have complete physician oversight with direct care provided by Board Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and requires a signed Home Visit Financial Policy/Agreement (provided below). A pediatrician house call visit may be arranged separately (terms and fees are confidential and available upon request). Please contact us for more information about the Pod Care Program or for scheduling future visits.

On behalf of the providers and staff at Petite Pediatrics, thank you for trusting your child’s care with us.

Sincerest Regards,

Charish L. Barry, MD, FAAP

Petite Pediatrics has offered this technology as a standard of care for our patients since 2018.

The current COVID-19 global pandemic, requires families to remain home to minimize exposure to the novel corona virus.  We want to assure our families that this is the latest technology in the delivery of medical care and we are committed to ensuring confidentiality while maintaining the safety and well-being of our patients.

Spruce provides the following services:

● Direct text messaging with Petite Pediatrics
● Virtual visits for pediatric rashes, allergies, cold/cough and flu symptoms, and newly added COVID-19 risk questionnaire to assist with care during the MERS Cov-2 global pandemic
● Secure Video Visit for complaints that need a live interaction
● Prescription refills and requests

How do I get started?

1. Navigate to Spruce.care/petitepediatrics on your iOS or Android phone.
2. Click on “Get the App & Connect” to download Spruce.
3. That’s it! You should be welcomed by Petite Pediatrics in the app.

Spruce won’t replace all in-office visits.  This service has been offered to enhance our member’s patient-care experience so that we can extend care on occasions when coming to the office is not available, can be efficiently handled remotely, or as a way to better decide that in-person care is needed. We will continue to work with families to deliver excellent pediatric care and will update families via Spruce regarding the latest developments related to COVID-19 and how we can continue to provide pediatric care to our community.

Thomas Fire Resources

• Families can stay updated on the local conditions by checking the Count of Santa Barbara Website. There is also helpful information regarding the use of masks for safe breathing. N95 masks provide protection from small particles in smoke and should be fitted for proper usage.

If they cant reach you, they can’t alert you….Register for Santa Barbara County alerts!

Dr. Barry and the staff at Petite Pediatrics are excited to announce the move of our medical office this fall. We will be relocating to a free-standing medical home that will provide our signature care of personalized medicine for infants, children and adolescents.  We look forward to welcoming you to our new space!

Summer is ending soon and the new school year will be starting up. Healthychildren.org has some great Back-to-School tips.

This is a good time to organize and prepare your paperwork for immunizations, sports physicals, learning issues etc. and/or schedule necessary appointments to be ready for the school year.

Back-to-School Tips

The following health and safety tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Making the First Day Easier
If your child seems nervous, remind him or her that there are probably a lot of students who are uneasy about the first day of school. This may be at any age. Teachers know that students are nervous and will make an extra effort to make sure everyone feels as comfortable as possible.

Point out the positive aspects of starting school to create positive anticipation about the first day. Your child will see old friends and meet new ones. Refresh his or her positive memories about previous years, when he or she may have returned home after the first day with high spirits because of a good time.

Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your student can walk to school or ride on the bus.

If it is a new school for your child, attend any available orientations and take an opportunity to tour the school before the first day.

If you feel it is needed, drive your child (or walk with him or her) to school and pick him or her up on the first day.

Backpack Safety
Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.

Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back. The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight. Go through the pack with your child weekly, and remove unneeded items to keep it light.

Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

Adjust the pack so that the bottom sits at the waist.

If your school allows, consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, they may be difficult to roll in snow, and they may not fit in some lockers.

Traveling To and From School
Review the basic rules with your child.

School Bus
Children should always board and exit the bus at locations that provide safe access to the bus or to the school building.

Remind your child to wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.

Make sure your child walks where he or she can see the bus driver (which means the driver will be able to see him or her, too).

Remind your child to look both ways to see that no other traffic is coming before crossing the street, just in case traffic does not stop as required.

Your child should not move around on the bus.

If your child’s school bus has lap/shoulder seat belts, make sure your child uses one at all times when in the bus. (If your child’s school bus does not have lap/shoulder belts, encourage the school system to buy or lease buses with lap/shoulder belts). See Where We Stand: Safety Restraints on the School Bus for more information.

Check on the school’s policy regarding food on the bus. Eating on the bus can present a problem for students with food allergies and can also lead to infestations of insects and vermin on the vehicles.

If your child has a chronic condition that could result in an emergency on the bus, make sure you work with the school nurse or other school health personnel to have a bus emergency plan.

Car
All passengers should wear a seat belt and/or an age- and size-appropriate car seat or booster seat.

Your child should ride in a car seat with a harness as long as possible and then ride in a belt-positioning booster seat. Your child is ready for a booster seat when he or she has reached the top weight or height allowed for his or her seat, his or her shoulders are above the top harness slots, or his or her ears have reached the top of the seat.

Your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle’s seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4′ 9″ in height and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means that the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with her legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down and the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, and not the stomach.

All children younger than 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger’s seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.

Remember that many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should require seat belt use, limit the number of teen passengers, and do not allow eating, drinking, cell phone conversations (even when using hands-free devices or speakerphone), texting, or other mobile device use to prevent driver distraction. Limit nighttime driving and driving in inclement weather. Familiarize yourself with your state’s graduated driver’s license law and consider the use of a parent-teen driver agreement to facilitate the early driving learning process. For a sample parent-teen driver agreement, click here.

Bike
Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.

Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic and ride in bake lanes if they are present.

Use appropriate hand signals.

Respect traffic lights and stop signs.

Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility. White or light-colored clothing and reflective gear is especially important after dark.

Know the “rules of the road.”

Walking to School
Make sure your child’s walk to school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.

Identify other children in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk to school. In neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider organizing a “walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.

Be realistic about your child’s pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.

If your children are young or are walking to a new school, walk with them or have another adult walk with them the first week or until you are sure they know the route and can do it safely.

Bright-colored clothing will make your child more visible to drivers.

Eating During the School Day
Studies show that children who eat a nutritious breakfast function better. They do better in school, and have better concentration and more energy.

Most schools regularly send schedules of cafeteria menus home and/or have them posted on the school’s website. With this advance information, you can plan on packing lunch on the days when the main course is one your child prefers not to eat.

Many school districts have plans which allow you to pay for meals through an online account. Your child will get a card to “swipe” at the register. This is a convenient way to handle school meal accounts.

Look into what is offered inside and outside of the cafeteria, including vending machines, a la carte, school stores, snack carts, and fundraisers held during the school day. All foods sold during the school day must meet nutrition standards established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). They should stock healthy choices such as fresh fruit, low-fat dairy products, water, and 100% fruit juice. Learn about your child’s school wellness policy and get involved in school groups to put it into effect.

Each 12-ounce soft drink contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child’s risk of obesity by 60%. Choose healthier options (such as water and appropriately sized juice and low-fat dairy products) to send in your child’s lunch.

Bullying
Bullying or cyberbullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, over the Internet, or through mobile devices like cell phones.

When Your Child Is Bullied
Alert school officials to the problems and work with them on solutions.

Teach your child when and how to ask a trusted adult for help.

Recognize the serious nature of bullying and acknowledge your child’s feelings about being bullied.

Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:

Look the bully in the eye.

Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.

Walk away.

Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.

“I don’t like what you are doing.”

“Please do NOT talk to me like that.”

“Why would you say that?”

Encourage your child to make friends with other children.

Support activities that interest your child.

Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child’s safety and well-being when you cannot be there.

Monitor your child’s social media or texting interactions so you can identify problems before they get out of hand.

When Your Child Is the Bully
Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.

Set firm and consistent limits on your child’s aggressive behavior.

Be a positive role model. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening, or hurting someone.

Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.

Develop practical solutions with the school principal, teachers, school social workers or psychologists, and parents of the children your child has bullied.

When Your Child Is a Bystander
Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying. Encourage your child to join with others in telling bullies to stop.

Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.

Before and After School Child Care
During early and middle childhood, children need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and supervise them after school until you return home from work.

If a family member will care for your child, communicate the need to follow consistent rules set by the parent regarding discipline and homework.

Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.

If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.

If you choose a commercial after-school program, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staff-to-child ratio, trained persons to address health issues and emergencies, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.

Developing Good Homework & Study Habits
Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework starting at a young age. Children need a consistent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet, without distractions, and promotes study.

Schedule ample time for homework; build this time into choices about participation in after school activities.

Establish a household rule that the TV and other electronic distractions stay off during homework time.

Supervise computer and Internet use.

By high school, it’s not uncommon for teachers to ask students to submit homework electronically and perform other tasks on a computer. If your child doesn’t have access to a computer or the Internet at home, work with teachers and school administration to develop appropriate accommodations.

Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do your child’s homework for him or her.

Take steps to help alleviate eye fatigue, neck fatigue and brain fatigue while studying. It may be helpful to close the books for a few minutes, stretch, and take a break periodically when it will not be too disruptive.

If your child is struggling with a particular subject, speak with your child’s teacher for recommendations on how you or another person can help your child at home or at school. If you have concerns about the assignments your child is receiving, talk with his or her teacher.

If your child is having difficulty focusing on or completing homework, discuss this with your child’s teacher, school counselor, or health care provider.

For general homework problems that cannot be worked out with the teacher, a tutor may be considered.

Some children need help organizing their homework. Checklists, timers, and parental supervision can help overcome homework problems.

Some children may need help remembering their assignments. Work with your child and his or her teacher to develop an appropriate way to keep track of his or her assignments–such as an assignment notebook.

Establish a good sleep routine. Insufficient sleep is associated with lower academic achievement in middle school, high school and college, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and tardiness. The optimal amount of sleep for most adolescents (13 to 18 years of age) is in the range of 8 to 10 hours per night. See Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need? for more information.

Additional Information from HealthyChildren.org:
Ten Tips for Your Child’s Success in School

Administering Medication at School: Tips for Parents

Snacks & Sugary Foods in School: AAP Policy Explained

How You Can Help Your Child Avoid & Address Bullying

Back to School, Back to the Doctor

The Healthy Children Show: Energy Balance for School-Age Kids (Video)

Published 8/8/2016 12:00 AM

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/news/Pages/Back-to-School-Tips.aspx

Ear Infection Information

When is it an Ear Infection?
A typical middle ear infection in a child begins with either a viral infection (such as a common cold) or unhealthy bacterial growth. Sometimes the middle ear becomes inflamed and causes fluid buildup behind the eardrum. In other cases, the eustachian tubes — the narrow passageways connecting the middle ear to the back of the nose — become swollen.

Children are more prone to both of these problems for several reasons. The passages in their ears are narrower, shorter, and more horizontal than the adult versions. Because it’s easier for germs to reach the middle ear, it’s also easier for fluid to get trapped there. And just as children are still developing, so are their immune systems. Once the infection takes hold, it’s harder for a child’s body to fight it than it is for a healthy adult’s.

The symptoms of an ear infection may be hard to detect. A child who constantly tugs or pulls at the ear could simply be exploring, or simply showing a self-soothing reflex — even though that tops the list of signals listed in many books and Web sites.

Other symptoms can include:
More crying than usual, especially when lying down
Trouble sleeping or hearing
Fever or headache
Fluid coming out of the ears
Doctors can use special instruments to see if an infection is present.

Treatment: Less May Be More
Perhaps the most surprising news is that common ear infections rarely require medication or any other action, except when severe or in young infants. “The body’s immune system can usually resolve them,” says Dr. Robert M. Jacobson, chair of the Mayo Clinic’s Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. “More and more studies show that children treated or untreated are at the same place 10 days out. We are constantly amazed at how many ear infections resolve on their own.”

It’s true: Fewer doctors are relying on antibiotics. As Dr. Jacobson points out, it’s important to understand that taking antibiotics might or might not speed recovery, and overusing them can lead to bacteria developing resistance to the drugs, as the germs mutate to defend themselves against medicine. As a result, many pediatricians have adopted a wait-and-see approach, rather than prescribing antibiotics at the first sign of infection.

Asking the parents to observe the child for 48 to 72 hours is becoming the most common first step among pediatricians. That doesn’t mean that an office visit isn’t a good idea, however. Doctors can prescribe numbing drops and suggest over-the-counter pain relievers to treat symptoms, which can help the child feel better as she recovers.

Along with getting away from prescriptions, pediatricians are also shying away from ear tubes, a procedure in which a small tube is surgically inserted in the ear to drain fluid. According to Dr. Jacobson, tube placement is best used with those children who have recurring hearing problems caused by multiple infections.

“Tubes don’t actually stop ear infections, just symptoms and fluid retention,” says Dr. Jacobson. “We don’t want to do it too often because there is an increased risk of damage to the eardrum.”

According to Dr. Jacobson, diagnosis and treatment should be a three-step process:
First, the pediatrician determines whether or not an ear infection is present.
Second, the pediatrician and parent discuss risk factors and how to reduce them.
Finally, observation and treatment of symptoms ensure the child is recovering without pain.
Reducing the Risks for Ear Infection
While parents can’t head off every germ that’s headed for their children, they can take steps to reduce their children’s risks.

Avoid Secondhand Smoke Exposure
Smoking is a huge contributor to childhood illness. Ear infections are no exception to that rule. Smoking is addictive and hard to quit, but not every smoker realizes the harmful effects that secondhand smoke could have on his or her child. Quitting is just as important for your child’s health as your own.

Proper Hygiene
Bad hygiene habits are another major problem. Children in child care are more exposed to widespread bacteria, as are those who drink from a bottle as opposed to asippy cup, says Dr. Jacobson. That’s because bottles have more surface area for germs to live on. Teach children to wash their hands frequently to prevent the spread of germs that spread illness.

Keep Your Child Up-To-Date with Vaccines
Talk with your child’s doctor about the vaccines that protect against pneumonia and meningitis. Studies show that vaccinated children experience fewer ear infections.

Breastfeed Your Baby
Breastfeed infants for the first year. Breast milk has many substances that protect your baby from a variety of diseases and infections. Because of these protective substances, breastfed children are less likely to have bacterial or viral infections, such as ear infections.

Get A Flu Shot
Consider getting immunized against influenza. Aside from protecting against this yearly disease, it can help prevent ear infections.
Last Updated
11/21/2015
Source
Adapted from Healthy Children Magazine, Summer 2007
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.