Earaches are a common childhood complaint that can make kids miserable and parents quite frustrated. Middle-ear inflammation is known medically as otitus media and usually produces symptoms such as pain, muffled hearing and fever. Earaches have a few common causes, including allergy to milk and other dairy products. Consult your physician if you or your child suffer from earaches and need relief.
Significance
According to the Healthy Child website, dairy is the No. 1 cause of childhood ear problems. Many children are raised drinking cow's milk and, as a result, suffer from earaches and infections more often. Cutting back on the amount of dairy products in your child's diet could produce a big drop in ear problems if he is prone to ear infections.
Identification
Try to identify the source of your child's earaches as a problem with milk before you begin to take preventative action. Other factors, such as an obstruction, infection or nutritional deficiency, may be to blame. The easiest way to identify the problem as milk is to eliminate milk from your child's diet for a short period of time and see if the earaches go away. You can also schedule allergy testing with your doctor to test for a wider range of allergens and possible earache causes.
Alternatives
If you believe cow's milk is causing your child to have earaches, or if allergy testing tells you so, you do have alternatives. "Alive" magazine reports that choices such as rice milk, almond milk, soy milk and oat milk are suitable substitutes. Speak with your doctor about supplementing any nutrients that may be lacking in your new choice.
Mechanics
Milk allergies and sensitivities can cause a noticeable change in the pressure of the middle ear. The eustachian tube in your ear opens up into the back of your throat and in a child is quick to become inflamed and blocked. This creates a friendly environment for bacteria to live and ear infections to grow, says FoodAllergySolutions.com.
Considerations
Even if your baby or toddler does not have an actual allergy to milk or dairy products, earaches can still happen from milk. Laying your baby down with a bottle of milk can cause the milk to flow in the middle ear and create an earache. Feed your baby sitting up whenever possible and avoid getting into the habit of putting her to bed with a bottle.
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