Ear Infections or Teething

Chiropractic adjustments can help with ear infections. Find a good DC who has experience with kids and they can help a lot. My husband is a chiropractor and my kids have never had an ear infection.

My oldest daughter now 27 had ear infections as a child. Starting at 9 months we had one a month until she was 2 when they put tubes in her ears. They fell out about a year later and the ear infections started again. At 4 they put tubes in her ears again. They lasted almost 2 years then they fell out. A month later we started in again with the ear infections. I took her to a different doctor who put her on a maintenance program. She took 1 tsp. of Septra everyday for 6 months. After battling ear infections for 7 years we finally solved the problem.

When the next child came along 12 years after the first and started with the ear infections, I asked for a maintenance program after the second ear infection. At 6 months they put her on amoxicillin for 6 months and she has not had another ear infection. She is now 15.

Hi J.,
I am a naturopathic physician and mama of 3 year old (and another on the way very soon!) so have some perspective on this. Can't say anything absolutely as I haven't seen your little one's ears myself, but in general a "small" ear infection when your child is acting perfectly fine does not require antibiotics. Eardrums can look pink and more irritated during teething, but teething doesn't necessarily cause an ear infection. It is usually a snotty cold that set's up the scene for an ear infection. I would really recommend you consult with a naturopathic physician that sees kids. There are lots of options for both prevention and treatment of ear infections. Feel free to call my office (Ballard area ###-###-####) and I can visit with you or help you find someone in your area. Good luck and have a wonderful trip. Tip for flight is to breastfeed a lot (or bottle feed), esp during take off and landing. This will help with relieving the pressure in the ears. Melissa Larson ND

SIMILISAN. It is an over the counter homeopathic type ear drop that I have found to be wonderful. You can get it about anywhere I believe. Years ago my family was in a little town in OH for Christmas. THe morning we were to travel to the airport to come home, my youngest began displaying major signs of ear infection. We were insured through Kaiser at the time, and they were less than helpful in getting someone else to prescribe my baby son -- who wasn't their patient -- an antibiotic. Long story....everyone out for Christmas...etc. I went to a local drug store & in tears asked the pharmacist if there was anything I could do to help my son. He suggested similisan. I now use it at the first sign of an infection & we haven't had to use antiobiotics since. Hopefully this helps!

All of the suggestions you've received so far are wonderful. Both of my children only ever experienced a couple of ear infections and I believe that it was due to not using antibiotics when they happened, which seems to set up a vicious cycle. I did use an herbal oil remedy of the mullein (an herb that grows readily in this area and was used a lot by Native American Indians) and garlic. If you go to Whole Foods, PCC, or any health food store, they should carry this type of remedy. Only 1 drop was needed in a 24-hour period and the ear infection would vanish. It is truly a blessing. Good luck on this. There are also homeopathic teething remedies available that helped my kids out a lot to.
I would also look into a naturopath in your area so that you have someone to go to for the things kids get: colds, flu, ear infections, etc. They have a lot of great immune boosting solutions that help to support our bodies in healing rather than fighting against it. They could also possibly help with regaining some of the natural intestinal flora that the antibiotics have inevitably done away with. Have a great time on your trip.

My son now two, had 5 ear infections in 7 months when he was 14-21 months and the doc wanted to do tubes. I talked to our chiropractor and he has been adjusted every month since and never gotten another ear infection. They say that ear infections are closely related to the spine and the adjustments. It is worth a try in the long run!

When my 17-year-old was a baby, she got "ear infections", whether they really were or not, I don't know. This was back in the days that docs prescribed an antibiotic for everything, it seems. After going through rounds of antibiotics and the symptoms (ear pulling) of "ear infections" showing up and ending up on the strongest broad-spectrum antibiotics they had, my daughter was scheduled to have tubes put in. Hearing tests were done and her hearing was fine. The day of the surgery, she had signs of an ear infection so they cancelled the surgery. It was at that time that I heard of a book titled "how to raise a healthy child in spite of your doctor"; this book is written by a pediatrician. I read the book and took my daughter off of antibiotics and toughed out the symptoms. She has not had an ear infection in 16 years now. She did have to deal with reoccuring yeast infections, as a result of the antibiotics, for six years. I treated those by having her eat active-culture yogurt once a day (fortunately, she liked yogurt). She has not had a yeast infection in 11 years now. I now have a 17-year-old and a four-year-old who do not take medications or get vaccinated and they are both very healthy. Also, they both have been adjusted by chiropractors most of their lives on a weekly basis, beginning as infants.

Hi J.,
My daughter had the exact problem. I did what I thought I was supposed to do... follow her ped's advice and after two rounds of antibiotics, she still had recurring ear infections. They were telling me that I was going to have to have tubes put in her ears. I just felt like there had to be a better way. I did some research and found that childrens eustacian tubes don't always form fully until around the age of two. Until then they sometimes can be positioned more horizontally than slanted and fluid can't naturally drain from them. If the fluid sits in their tubes too long, it can grow bacteria, hence sometimes causing an infection. I took my daughter to a chiropractor and had her very delicately adjusted two times and she has never had another ear infection. While in the office I was shown how to tug on her ears at home to keep her tubes open. Many of the kiddos in my family have had this problem (nieces & nephews) and when I go to visit we sneak in a few tugs and everyone is good as new. No more antibiotics, no tubes. It was the best thing I did for her and have no regrets. If this is something you want to try and don't already see someone who is comfortable with babies, drop me a message and I can point you in the right direction. Hope that helps. Have a wonderful day! -L.

I second the chiropractic... look up on google the international association of pediatric chiropractors to find someone in your area.

Just so you know, a doctor *cannot* diagnose an ear infection by looking in your child's ear. Infections require a blood test to identify (elevated white count). What the doctor may have seen in the ear is a build up of fluids (which *can* be a prime place for bacteria to grow); the issue is really how to get the body to do what it's best at - draining the fluid, via the Eustachian Tubes into the throat. You can massage the tubes (along the neck), most effective while they're swallowing (i.e. nursing) or you can see a chiropractor for help (adjustments to the neck naturally cause the tubes to *un-kink* and drain effectively).
On the cotton bits you put in his ears, try bit of garlic "juice" (I keep the minced stuff in my fridge and dab the cotton ball in there just to get it a bit wet) and some olive oil will encourage drainage and naturally discourage harmful bacteria growth.
Overuse of antibiotics is a national disaster - did the doc talk to you about the possibility for yeast backlash after two rounds of meds? You should definitely be taking an acidopholis (sp) to encourage some healthy bacteria in his gut (assuming you're nursing).

HTH
D.
mama to two
my kids didn't have ear infections, though I have ear issues related to my milk allergy :) my blog: hannahbearski.blogspot.com

It is really encouraging to see that so many of you suggested the food allergies as a source to this problem. None of us should step in for doctor, however this doesn't mean we shouldn't question their opinion.
Food allergies certainly do cause inflammation that can lead to ear and sinus infections, aswell as many other problems. Eliminating the offending food can save a child from so many inflictions, not just now but for their whole life. We cannot be certain that this is the case for this lil boy, without more info and follow up, but all these posts will have been read by someone who benefits from it. What a great site. Keep on sharing your knowlege, respectively and appropriately of course!

it is more likely that the recurrent ear infections are related to food allergies / intolerances rather than teething. Especially if he wound up with an ear infection right after a round of antibiotics. You are prone to infection when your gut flora is out of balance (the bad bacteria in your gut overwhelms the good bacteria) Antibiotics kill of the bad bacteria but kill off the good as well, leaving you vulnerable to another infection. To help prevent this anytime you or your child are on antibiotics you should take an acidophilus supplement - better yet, find natural ways to fight the infection and avoid antibiotics when possible.
Garlic oil in the ears is an excellent way to combat ear infections. Look into acidophilus and other probiotics to help restore healthy gut flora and boost his immunity and strengthen his system to fight of infection and sickness in the future.

Dairy, wheat and corn allergies or intolerances can mess with his immune system and make him more susceptible to infections.
If you are breast feeding , try removing dairy from your diet and see what happens.

You probably know this, but if baby is lying down when he takes a bottle the milk can get back in the eustacian tubes, and cause infections. I've known of some people who were allergice to milk, and once stopped drinking it as children, stopped having ear infections. My son started having blood in his stools as an infant, and the doctor suggested that the milk I was drinking (I was nursing him) was irritating him and had me cut my consumption in half. I did, and the bloody diapers went away. I don't know if you're nursing him or if he's on formula. Just something to consider. Also, if you have him suckling while you're taking off and getting to altitude, as well as when you start descending for a landing, it will help with his ears popping.

Hi J.,
I have to tell you that I had the same trouble with my son, mostly when he was teething too. All his saliva is getting backed when he's laying down and it needs to go somewhere if it can't go out the nose. I'm sure you know that those three areas are linked together with tubes, so anyways our doctor told us to use "little noses" nose drops or salt water before it gets bad and it can clear out naturally by loosening up and comming out his nose when he's up and active, it gets messy but he doesn't have to take the antibiotics anymore.

J.,
I think sometimes the symptoms of teething and ear infections can be similar (mainly the irritability and not wanting to eat, sometimes a fever). However, your dr did see signs of infection in his ear so he probably did have an infection, but maybe not a serious one yet. Every dr has their own protocal when to administer anti-biotics. I know our dr rarely gives them for ear infections because 40% are viral not bacterial. Many times they will clear on their own. Its when the fluid doesn't drain and becomes infected that antibiotics can help.

One thing you could do to help his immune system now is giving him yogurt with live cultures of acidophilus. You can also get supplements for kids at Supersupplements. This helps his gut grow back the "good" bacteria that gets wiped out by the antibiotics too. This might help his system be stronger before your big trip.

I think you are wise to be cautious about flying if he has an active infection. One thing I did when flying was to breastfeed during take off and landing. The kids never had a problem with ears popping and pain. Its like when adults chew gum to prevent the same thing.

I wouldn't worry about these two infections leading to tubes in his ears later. It is that time of year kids get them. If it becomes a chronic issue though I have heard of allergies being a root cause of ear infections. Many dr. don't look for those type of causes when dealing with ear infections.

Hope that helps. Have a great trip to Japan. That sounds exciting.
C.

First of all, ear problems can be hereditary (crazy huh). It is very common for little ones to have problems with their ears. My son also never ran a fever when he had ear infections, but boy did he get cranky!!! Even if the child is having problems with their sinuses it can cause a bulge on their eardrum (they say babies dont have allergies and sinus probs, but dont they have moms immunities for a while? I know docs taht believe babies do have this prob). Anyway, I am sure teething plays a big part in ear discomfort and or possibly infection. My 10 mo old has been pulling at her ears and sticking her fingers in them, and she is teething. Tylenol will help and talk o your doc about using Motrin to help with any swelling and/or discomfort. AS for flying, suckling is the best thing to keep thir ears from hurting during take off and landing. Hang in there!

I'm not sure what you are afraid of with the tubes but they were the saving of Grandson Kody. I have always hated put chemicals in his body and having to deal with ADHD is bad enoudh. The tubes were a blessing do for me I would do it a s quickly as I could.
C.

My experience (and most of what I've read) is that antibiotics are unnecessary and ineffective at treating ear infections and may be responsible for an escalating problem. We've had good results using garlic/mullein oil (available at PCC or Dandelion or probably Super Supplements). Good luck with this and on your flights!

Hi J.,

Although I've seen lots of great advice in here about homeopathy, chiropractics, and naturopathics. And a good reason on why little kids get so many ear infections. I'd like to add one more. Diet. Many young kids and adults, show food allergies or sensitivities by being prone to ear infections. I've had ear problems all my life, broken both my ear drums twice, lots of antibiotics, tubes, adinoids out etc. Growing up helped. But what finally has given me relief is removing milk from my diet. I think the three biggest allergens are wheat milk and corn. You might want to keep a food diary and see if what you eat is affecting him, if you are nursing. Or alternatively, change his formula to a non-dairy (soy or rice) and see if that helps. Best of luck.

Ear infections are caused by fluid in the inner ear. It could come from teething if he is drooling a lot while laying down. Or if he is taking a bottle flat on his back, or he could just be unlucky. My son had tubes put in his ears at the age of 2 and never got a single infection afterwards, and therefore was able to avoid overexposure to antibiotics.

You can also try homopathic drops for pain but it doesn't sound like your baby is in any pain. Covering his ears when he goes out is an old wives tale as far as I know and really doesn't change anything. Be careful with him having liquid IN his mouth while he lays down such as drool, liquid from a bottle, runny nose... Those are what get in there and cause problems.

Tubes aren't as bad as they seem. It is an outpatient procedure usually done in the Dr's office and takes just an hour or so and then they go home drowsy, but otherwise fine. These days, the tubes disolve on their own so there is no second procedure needed to remove them.

I have heard that garlic in the ears can help....stinky but a natural alternative...make sure that you cover the garlic with cotton then put them in the ear. I guess it has a natural antibiotic affect. Look up more on that to make sure. I have a friend who did that with her daughter. Also, I just returned from Spain and my 6 month old daughter got a cold and ear infection. It SUCKS on the plane if they are not well. So, be sure to bring saline solution (Runny Nose Drip/Spray for Babies) to put in his nose before the flight to keep hydrated and to keep the mucus membranes wet...that prevents getting a cold. Also, if you breastfeed, breastfeeding when you go up and down in the plane helps their ears. You probably read that, or having them suck on a pacifier...or your finger or whatever, to get them to suck as you are ascending and descending in the plane. Good luck and good trip!

Hello J.,

Yes. Unfortunately, kids can get ear infections right after another. Mine did, but they never did get tubes in their ears, Thank God.

If your child is lying down, drinking the bottle, then that is most likely what is causing her ear problems. If you can, have your child in an upright sitting position when drinking the bottle at all times. You'll of course will most likely be assisting, by holding him. From what I remember, lying down and drinking out of his bottle will help him to get ear infections.

Also, the ear infections are linked to a runny nose and teething. So, always keep a close eye on that. I was really good with our last daughter. She was the lucky one. She rarely got any ear infections. I would have to say maybe 5, and she's had very little illness, such as the flu. If you can, start your little boy on fresh vegetables and fruits, even if you chew it and give it to him. I did that with our youngest. Today, she loves her veges and fruits, very little meats, but then again kids are picky eaters anyway. She's 11 today, and she's aware of her food choices. We cook all of our food at home. We eat take out every now and then, but don't make a habit of it though.

Good for you to go the extra mile by putting cotton in the ears. That is really helpful. Also, be sure to always dry out his ears after his bath. I did all of that.

Last, but not least, take your child back to the doctor, making sure your little one gets a clean bill of health, plus let your doctor know that you are traveling to Japan. Japan is a long flight and that could be painful to your child if he still has in infection, it's the pressure that would bother him.

Happy travels to you and your family!
That's gonna be a fun trip to Japan!\''/

I don't know much about the ear infections, as neither of my children have ever been bothered by one (thank the Lord!). However, I have travelled quite a bit with 2 small children and always having a bottle/pacifier and now gum for my older one in order to relieve pressure can be a hassle. About 2 weeks ago, I was flying and we happened to be sitting next to a couple who also had a little girl. Their pediatrician has prescribed them "ear numbing" drops for their flight. The father said they work amazing, they have never had any problems with the little girl crying/screaming during takeoffs or landings. I don't know how well this would work if your son has an ear infection, but you might look into it.

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN IN JAPAN!

My nephew started having a lot of problems with ear infections. I'll tell you what I told my sister. Have him checked for food allergies - specifically, soy, egg and milk.

She discovered her two-year old was allergic to egg whites and milk. Now that she doesn't feed them to Russell any more, VOILA! Result? No more ear infections.

Ear infections really aren't that normal. Call a Naturopath if they are excessive. My daughters (together) only experience 1 which was treated with homeopathic substances. So they have never had antibiotics.

Teething and ear infections do often go together, I think because the body is already stressed wtih the teething. So it makes an existing problem even worse.

I am really surprise that your pedi gave you anything for the ears. I was told time and time again when my youngest son had ear problems we had to wait them out because they didnt want to give us antibiotics for something not so harmful. Yes it can be teeth related and he problem hasnt had enough antibiotics to ruin him yet. The fear they have i guess my mom was telling me is that children who are given them to often build up resistance to them so if there is a time when them need them to fight off something more serious there body is then too strong for the drugs. Does that makes sense? It sounds right to me when i reread it. anyways your son should be fine flying i have done some research on tubes and only a small perecentage of children end up really needing them. so it is very very likely that he is getting them because of those darn teeth especially since there was no fever with it or vomiting. If those are partnered with ear infections it tends to be viral. hope this helps a little bit!! Have a safe trip to Japan i am very jealous!!

hey you are talking to a person here who has ear infection probably since who knows when. I was born with a cleft and palate. I am 26 years old and still suffer from the ear and infections on occasion. (Luckily I was blessed to get things fixed and have a functional life.) I had tubes in my ears in and out as a child. I remember them just sitting in the chair with the doctors and the assistants. It finally got to the point when I was 8 years old that I had a whole in my left ear drum. An ENT in Reno, Nevada fixed that. Before that I was suffering from yucky discharge, could not go swimming. ...etc.... Later on I had speech therapy and all sorts of things I needed. I think. I grew up in Northern Nevada. I am not too city and not too country but I wouldn't recommend tubes. It affected me growing up getting tubes put in and taken out if they did not fall out. By that time they had stuck and it's like glue in your ears. Your body depending fights things on its own. I do not do well with meds either, but I find other things and ways to deal with
it. The only time my ears or left ear affects me is when ppl at work are sick and I get sick too. Hearing affects me sometimes people have to tell me things two or three times sometimes. My husband's sister has speech problems and hearing problems after the tubes. I met a lady who son could hear for awhile and he went deaf. She did not do anything because she knew eventually she will have a son who will hear. He had fluid where the eardrums where and it slowly decreased. By the time he was three to four years old he was starting to hear the toilet flush and whispers. She refused to have tubes in his ears because of the fact of all the other kids problems. So don't jump over the bridge like everyone else and follow. Doctors were telling her, your son needs or has to have tubes in his ears. FOr awhile he was just lip reading and pointing at things and feeling the throat for vibrations for communicating. There were times where he was frustrated.

tubes are not bad at all - in fact they may be exactly what your child will need to avoid long term speech issues and possible vestibular/equilibrium issues involving occupational therapy.

As the mother of 4 children who inherited bad ears from daddy..... ll 4 have had multiple ear infections one right after the other with rarely a fever or any other symptoms...they are called silent ear infections. My second child went 18 months with silent ear infections and we only figured it out when he was diagnosed with a 50% speech delay - basically almost two years old with the speech capability of a 10 month old.

He had his tubes put in when he was 28 months old..... that was 6 months ago and his speech therapist says that now he has the vocab of a 5 year old.... mostly because the tubes were put in and he can hear properly now.

I would strongly suggest that after the 4th or 5th consecutive ear infection...you ask for a referral to an ENT (Dr. Ron at the Baker Center at Mary Bridge is good if you are in the Tacoma area) If you are in the Seattle area then Scott Manning at Children's is the best.

And I must say that hot over ears and cotton balls will do absolutely nothing to prevent ear infections.......old wives tale

I agree with the response regarding antibiotics.... After 29 total ear infections in 6 years..... the ear infection goes away with or without the antibiotics.... and a good pediatrician will put your child on a different antibiotic each time.... so you should be switching between Amoxicillin, augmenten, Cefzil and others

Our second daughter never showed signs of an ear infection. EVER! She apparently got them and we'd only discover them if we happened to have a doctor's appointment. No trouble when her teeth popped in either. That kid has an incredibly high tolerance to pain.

Our first daughter never got ear infections, however when she got her teeth in we always thought she was getting an infection or the flu...but no....just teething. Often the two present similarly I've since read. (My husband and I missed our first date in months thinking she was sick--she had a fever and everything! By morning she had a tooth and no fever!)

Nursing during take off and landings can help with the pressure changes for some little ones. It's like when we chew gum.

Just like long flights are no fun for us grownups...it's no fun for the little ones no matter how much stuff you bring along. Good luck.

I too avoided tubes for one of my twin boys for the longest. Dealing with one ear infection after the other. Then realized my Father did the same thing to me and here I was 30 years old and still having trouble with my ears. I do have to say that the tubes in my son ears did the trick and he hasnt had another ear infection since. They really arent that big of a deal. We did swim lessons and everything with them in and had no problems. Good luck I do sympathise with you and understand your fears.

Are you nursing, or is he on cows milk formula? If he's on formula, please check out http://www.notmilk.com/e.html. He could have a milk allergy.

My 7 month old son had some fluid on his ear at his 6 month appt. but the doctor said that most ear infections will clear up on their own if left alone. His ear wasn't really red, so the doctor wasn't too worried. I too am worried about excessive ear problems. My son is constantly grabbing at his ears and gouging them.

One thing that I find does help when he has fluid and it isn't real red and angry is to use Mullein and Garlic Oil Compound. It is a mixture that can be found at most natural food stores. Put in 2-3 drops in the problem ear and a little cotton to keep in the drops. I wouldn't use this if your child is just grabbing at ears. It is very drying and dries out the fluid. It works great when it is a minor ear infection. When it is super red inside and your child is screaming from pain or can't lie on one side then it is a true infection and needs stronger meds. You might have your doctor rate the infection on a 1-10 scale. And if you have insurance, it is often easy to make the appt. and have the ears checked out if you're worried.

Please try chiropractic! Both of my kids have been adjusted since birth, and neither of them has ever had more than one cold. I know of several children who have been adjusted and ear infections have disappeared or been decreased in frequency and/or severity. If you don't know of a local chiropractor that works with kids, try calling Dr. Hanes in Prineville OR, he may know of someone in your area, he's a friend of my boss. Good luck!

I would recommend finding a new pediatrician. sounds like yours is way behind the times. last year a large study came out showing that antibiotics do not decrease the length or severity of infection and the american college of pediatrics updated their standards for treating ear infections with the 'watch and wait' campaign. the fact that your doc gave you 10 days of antibiotics for an asymptomatic 'ear infection' is ridiculous. i would find a naturopathic doc in your area that does lots of peds. they will help you address the cause of your babies ear infections. it may be related to food he's eating or foods youare eating if you are breastfeeding. if you are using formula, sensitivity of cow's milk is a large cause of ear infections.

I used to have horrible ear infections...my great grandma used to (I still do this when I have ear aches) take olive oil and heat it up (not to hot) use a q tip (for babies) or cotton swab, get it good and saturated with the warm oil and swab the ear. It can be kind of messy, BUT the warm oil soothes any pain he is having and there is something about the olive that clears up the infection. It also helps prevent chronic ear infections. I had a horrible time with the meds, once my great grandma stepped in, not so many and they didn't hurt as bad either.

Best of luck with your travels and your baby.
J.

i would suggest looking into homeopathics. my daughter has not had any ear problems but for her teething (she was hit with cutting four teeth at once! ouch.) i give her teething tablets from rainbow foods that were recommended by the owner (he's had kids of his own and it is a super kid friendly store) and they work wonders. and i dont have to worry that i am putting unnecessary chemicals in my babies body. just a thought. good luck.

Hi J.,
Both of my kids have had problems with chronic ear infections. My son (3 1/2) finally grew out of it- no tubes. My daughter (11 months) is on her second and we treated her with antibiotics. We waited it out as she is also teething. The big key was the green mucus and fever and waking up screeming in pain every 3 hours. So, sometimes the "wait it out" plan doesn't work. I think think all of this advice has been helpful and I might try some of the recommendations myself. The last one she had we waited to long and it took her three courses of antibiotics to clear it 2 months later so I would rather treat her early than risk that again. Good luck and have a great trip. Kathy

J.,
It sounds like you really want to do what is right for your little guy. I am a very non-invasive mom. I like to treat things from home with natural remedies as much as possible, and use modern medicine sparingly. For alot of reasons really, I like to save money, I feel like I am able to communicate with the doctors more efficiently if I am informed myself, and also I would rather help my body fight infections naturally if possible, rather than pumping chemicals and manmade substances if not absolutely necessary.I would recomend talking to a natural medicine expert ( I know one if you are interested). If my child had an ear infection, I would give him a regular(every 2-4 hours)dose of Goldenseal/Echinacea drops. I would also use garlic oil(I know it stinks, but works)on a cotton ball and place that in his ear to help soothe and draw out the infection. If he were very uncomfortable from the infection, I would take a wash cloth moistened with warm water, place it over his ear with his head in my lap, and use the low setting of a blow dryer to keep the wash cloth warm. this is so soothing for the pain, and a nice bonding time for mom and child. Continued use of antibiotics can actually tear down a little ones immune system, and cause diahrea and dehydration. If you are having problems with the diareah thing you could try giving him some liquid acidophilus, or yogurt with live cultures to help restore the good bacteria in his bowels that is necessary for proper digestion. The diareah should clear up within 24-48 hours. Feel free to e-mail with any questions. ____@____.com

A lot of great advice here. I've heard that getting those little teeth can cause ear infections in those who are prone to them.
You mentioned that once a baby gets an ear infection they're more likely to get more. Just wanted to clarify: it's not that the first ear infection causes or sets the child up for more ear infections. Some children are just prone to ear infections; i.e., if they're prone to having one they're prone to having many. Usually the child out grows them as their facial features elongate and the eustacian tube (tube from middle ear to back of throat) begins to tilt downward--between ages 3-6).
Just some background: My son (5) has had multiple ear infections. Almost got tubes last spring when seasonal allergies seemed to be bringing them on. We waited and it's been a year since his last ear infection. His hearing has been tested and is in the normal range.
Good luck with your travels! Would love to go to Japan sometime. :)

Hello J.,

Sorry to hear about your little one. Ear infections are awful for them. Your use of Fabreeze might be a part of your son's ear infections... I believe it contains formaldahyde. "The American Lung Association cites formaldahyde as a possible major cause of chronic ear infection in children. Formaldahyde is an ingredient in many cleaning products and personal care products found in the home."

I know a source for cleaning supplies without harmful ingredients. I also have a remedy if you have not found help for the ear infection.

K.
____@____.com ###-###-####

that is wonderful he wasn't fussy with the ear infection. i hate them