Imagine how difficult it would be to learn a foreign language if your hearing was muffled. This is exactly what so many young children with Otis Media with effusion (fluid in the ear) deal with as they try to learn how to speak. Fortunately, there is a non-drug treatment for this condition. It’s safe, and effective, and may prevent long-term speech delays in children.
When my daughter was two years old, and barely speaking any words, I had her assessed for speech therapy. During the assessment, they tested her hearing. I was stunned when the results showed that she had failed her hearing test in both ears. I had no idea there was anything wrong with her hearing.
I knew that my daughter had sinus issues. It always seemed like she was either getting a cold, having a cold, or recovering from a cold. But she never gave us any indication that it was affecting her ears or her hearing.
I brought my daughter to her Pediatrician, and she diagnosed her with Otis Media with effusion (fluid in the ears). She started her on antibiotics and recommended a follow-up visit. On the follow-up visit, the fluid was still there, and one ear was even worse. The Pediatrician prescribed a stronger antibiotic. After taking this new antibiotic, my daughter suffered from diarrhea and vomiting. I knew I had to try something other than antibiotics, so I brought her to a chiropractor.
The chiropractor, Jay P. Bertsch, DC, from Team Health Care, found that my daughter had chronic fluid build-up in her ears. Dr. Bertsch commented, “After assessing her, we were certain the problem was stemming from her upper neck where we found a slight misalignment in that area. This created interference to the nerves that go to her ears and restricted her tubes from properly draining. After performing a series of very gentle adjustments to her neck, the interference to the nerves was removed and her body was able to drain the fluid as a result.”
Many parents feel that antibiotics and tubes are the only way to deal with fluid in the ear, but research now shows that chiropractic adjustments may be a safer alternative. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics indicates that there is a direct connection between chiropractic adjustments and the resolution of ear infections.
Fluid in the ear accumulates when the Eustachian tube becomes blocked. In a healthy ear, secretions drain from the tube and are swallowed. If the Eustachian tube is blocked, fluid accumulates in the middle ear.
Younger children tend to have fluid in their ears more often because the Eustachian tube is shorter, more horizontal and straighter than adults. The tiny opening is smaller which makes it easier to block. Young children also have weaker immune systems which result in more colds.
Unfortunately, the most common age for experiencing fluid in the ears is the same critical age for language development. Robert Ruben, M.D., of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has been able to detect long-term language delays in children who had eight or more weeks of fluid in their ears between the ages of six to twelve months.
Dorothy P. Dougherty, a speech and language pathologist, and author of Teach Me How to Say It Right, says, “When a child has a hearing loss, she faces the challenge of learning how to say sounds by watching what sounds look like on the face of the speaker, how they feel through vibrations, and what she hears through a distorted signal. Early detection and intervention are critical because hearing loss will delay the development of speech and language skills, cognitive skills, and school progress.
My daughter, who is now three, continues to receive monthly chiropractic adjustments. She enjoys and looks forward to her chiropractic visits. I have seen a huge difference in her ability to make and imitate sounds, her vocabulary has dramatically increased, and she is passing her hearing tests with flying colors.
Thanks to chiropractic treatments, she has finally ended the constant cycle of sinus problems, and her language development is blossoming.
Reference:
- Jay P. Bertsch, DC can be contacted at: www.teamhealthcareclinic.com
