Ways to Prevent Acute Otitis Media
There are ways you can reduce the chances of getting AOM, some of which include:
- Avoid smoking: According to studies, secondhand smoke increases the risk of ear infections. Make sure no one smokes inside the house, in the car, at the daycare center, or anywhere else where children may be present.
- Fend off colds: Reduce your child’s first year of life exposure to colds. Never share utensils, food, drinks, or toys. Always wash your hands. The majority of ear infections begin with a cold. Delay using huge daycare facilities for the first year if at all possible.
- Managing allergies: The eustachian tube can get blocked due to inflammation and mucus brought on by allergic reactions, which increases the risk of ear infections.
- Feed your child breast milk: For the first six to twelve months of a baby’s life, breastfeed them. Ear infections are less common because of antibodies in breast milk.
- Bottle feed your baby in a upright position: If you bottle-feed, make sure you hold the bottle with the baby’s head higher than the stomach. Formula and other liquids may run back into the eustachian tubes if feeding is done horizontally. It’s also possible for milk to leak into the middle ear when you let a baby grasp his or her own bottle. Between the ages of nine and twelve months, you should wean your infant from the bottle to assist solve this issue.