Guest guest Posted January 15, 2002 Report Share Posted January 15, 2002 THE TERRIBLE TWOS So many two-year-old children go into uncontrollable crying fits that a label has been placed upon the condition affecting all so-named brats: The Terrible Twos. I received a panic phone call on Saturday night from my daughter, Lizzy. She was babysitting for a neighbor's kids, and it didn't take me more than a minute for me to walk around the corner and save the day. There I found Lizzy in control of three kids. One was five, the " screamer " was two, and the youngest was asleep in her crib. The five-year-old announced: " My brother has another earache. " The child was holding his ears, shaking his head and crying. It seemed to me as if he was unsuccessfully trying to rid himself of a demon contained within his skull. I waited with Lizzy and the kids until the young boy tired from the crying, and after alerting the parents, waited for them to arrive. By that time, the child was calm, and I left a few minutes after he went to sleep. The next morning, I visited the parents and gave them a copy of my MILK A-Z book, with a personal note inserted into the page that contains this information: E IS FOR EAR My chapter on milk-related ear problems contains second opinions from four respected medical doctors. " Cow's milk has become a point of controversy among doctors and nutritionists. There was a time when it was considered very desirable, but research has forced us to rethink this recommendation...dairy products contribute to a surprising number of health problems (including) chronic ear problems... " Benjamin Spock, M.D., Child Care, 7th Edition " Milk allergies are very common in children... They are the leading cause of the chronic ear infections that plague up to 40% of all children under the age of six. " Julian Whitaker, M.D., Health & Healing, October, 1998, Volume 8, No. 10 " If a bottlefed baby has an ear infection, eliminate milk and dairy products from the child's diet for thirty days to see if any benefits result...a cause of frequent ear infections in children is food allergies. " James Balch, MD, Prescription for Nutritional Healing " Concerning ear infections, you just don't see this painful condition among infants and children who aren't getting cow's milk into their systems. " William Northrup, M.D., Natural Health July, 94 If you have a child who is affected with ear pain, or know a family who is affected by this all-so similar situation, please share this column with them. The " terrible twos " coincidentally occurs soon after a child is weaned from breast milk or milk-based formula onto whole cow's milk. The chief of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins medical school, Frank Oski, noted that parents rarely, if ever, make the connection to milk and dairy consumption. Two-year-old children are able to communicate pain. Quite often, parents lack the wisdom to see. Robert Cohen http://www.notmilk.com Send FREE video emails in Mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2002 Report Share Posted January 16, 2002 It's funny that you sent this to the list, I received it the other day and I was thinking about it for the last few days. My daughter has never had an ear infection or anything similar, and I was always curious why that was, as so many kids her age (2) seem to suffer from ear infections. I was sure it was the food but could not pinpoint exactly what. Mind you, we are not vegans, and we haven't been vegetarian for that long, but I always believed that a child is not supposed to drink milk forever. I breastfed my daughter and then switched to a homemade formula made of 2/3 barley water and 1/3 not homogenized cow-milk for another 5 -6 month, and that was it for her drinking milk. She drinks mostly fresh juices, sometimes she has yogurt, and many times she just has water, maybe with some Emergen-C added, especially in winter. But no milk. She loves chocolate soy milk and soy protein shakes, and the way she eats (plenty of veggies, fresh fruit, whole grains, vegetable protein and occasionally some cheese) I know and I see that she's getting what she needs to be healthy. So I guess now I know why she never had ear infections or similar! And can make sure to share it with friends whose children have this problem. Hugs, " My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal isn't necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage! " Aunt Frances in Practical Magic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 17, 2002 Report Share Posted January 17, 2002 I'm definitely in agreement that milk can trigger ear infections, but it's not a foregone conclusion that breastfed vegan babies won't get any ear infections. There are just too many other factors to say that. They tend to get LESS, but not none. Sandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2002 Report Share Posted January 18, 2002 My breastfed vegan baby got two ear infections last winter, both after he had bad colds. This winter he's faring much better, and we still nurse a couple of times a day. I think the difference is that bottle-fed babies are more prone to getting chronic ear infections that don't respond well to antibiotics and result in tube insertions. That's just been my experience. Julie - Sandra Mort <sandra.mort Thursday, January 17, 2002 10:51 AM Re: 'The Terrible Twos' by Robert Cohen > I'm definitely in agreement that milk can trigger ear infections, but it's > not a foregone conclusion that breastfed vegan babies won't get any ear > infections. There are just too many other factors to say that. They tend > to get LESS, but not none. > > Sandra > > > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to http://www.vrg.org/family. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2002 Report Share Posted January 19, 2002 In a message dated 1/19/2002 6:51:04 AM Pacific Standard Time, jcboehning writes: > My breastfed vegan baby got two ear infections last winter, both after he > had bad colds. Mine had two in his two years of life. One was treated with antibiotics with the other one we took him to a naturopath and treated him naturally. The one that we treated naturally healed faster. Sara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2002 Report Share Posted January 19, 2002 My 21 mos old son (breastfed and vegan also) has had numerous ( 7 confirmed but I believe he's had more I just haven't had them confirmed by a doc) ear infections, the first when he was 4 months old. They often coincided with colds or other illnesses. The first time the doctor told me it was an ear infection I was relieved it wasn't more serious but, at the same time, annoyed because I was trying to do everything right-no dairy, organic food(when he started solids), breastfeeding, etc. I have never given him antibiotics, in spite of heavy pressure from docs., and the infections usually clear up in a few days, to date his hearing is fine. So, while my son is proof that a healthy vegan diet does not prevent ear infections, even chronic ones, perhaps it does help us heal more quickly. > " Julie & Chris Boehning " <jcboehning > > >Re: 'The Terrible Twos' by Robert Cohen >Fri, 18 Jan 2002 13:40:15 -0500 > >My breastfed vegan baby got two ear infections last winter, both after he >had bad colds. This winter he's faring much better, and we still nurse a >couple of times a day. I think the difference is that bottle-fed babies are >more prone to getting chronic ear infections that don't respond well to >antibiotics and result in tube insertions. That's just been my experience. >Julie >- >Sandra Mort <sandra.mort > >Thursday, January 17, 2002 10:51 AM >Re: 'The Terrible Twos' by Robert Cohen > > > > I'm definitely in agreement that milk can trigger ear infections, but >it's > > not a foregone conclusion that breastfed vegan babies won't get any ear > > infections. There are just too many other factors to say that. They >tend > > to get LESS, but not none. > > > > Sandra > > > > > > > > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website >at >http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to >http://www.vrg.org/family. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2002 Report Share Posted January 21, 2002 My son also had recurrent ear infections, and he was breastfed as well. I believe daycare can contribute to ear infections tremendously...considering he hasn't had a single ear infection since we pulled him out of daycare. I too was reluctant to give him antibiotics... My dad is a pharmacist, and we have had many discussions on the topic. The only true way to determine if an ear infection is the kind that can be treated with antibiotics is to stick a long needle in the ear and extract some of the fluid. (My pediatrician confirmed this) Since that procedure is extremely painful, they just treat the ear infection with antibiotics. Most infections will cure themselves within 72 hours. On the same note Chiropractic care can be extremely beneficial for preventing ear infections. Just my two cents for what it's worth. Send FREE video emails in Mail! http://promo./videomail/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2002 Report Share Posted January 21, 2002 On Sat, 19 Jan 2002, Madeline White wrote: > I have never given him > antibiotics, in spite of heavy pressure from docs., and the infections > usually clear up in a few days, to date his hearing is fine. So, while my > son is proof that a healthy vegan diet does not prevent ear infections, even > chronic ones, perhaps it does help us heal more quickly. There was an interesting study that was published last year (sorry, I don't have the reference handy) that found that the large majority (something like 70%) of ear infections are caused by viral illnesses, not bacteria. Antibiotics are useless against viruses. Prescribing them for a viral ear infection will do nothing more than increase the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the world (and in your child's system). Most ear infections clear up within a few days of starting antibiotics, but that's because most ear infections would clear up in a few days on their own anyway. Unless a lab test confirms that the infection is bactrial in origin, there is no point is taking antibiotics. ---- Patricia Bullington-McGuire <patricia The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the purely hypothetical. They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each nonexisted in an entirely different way ... -- Stanislaw Lem, " Cyberiad " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 21, 2002 Report Share Posted January 21, 2002 > My breastfed vegan baby got two ear infections last winter, > both after he > had bad colds. This winter he's faring much better, and we > still nurse a > couple of times a day. I think the difference is that > bottle-fed babies are > more prone to getting chronic ear infections that don't > respond well to > antibiotics and result in tube insertions. That's just been > my experience. > Julie Hi Julie, I assume you were strict vegan also while breastfeeding him? I'm curious to figure out if breast fed babies whose mothers consumed dairy (even the tiniest amount)have a higher incidence of ear infections. Thanks, Shelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 Hi. I'm not trying to rock the boat here (well, not too much) but it would be good to keep in mind that old statistics class saying that correlation does not necessarily mean causation. I have 27-month old who, after a breast feeding catastrophe, ended up being bottle fed a particularly vile formula (Protein Hydrolysate Formula) for her first year. After that I switched her to rice milk. (Sorry, rice BEVERAGE.) She has NEVER had an ear infection and is remarkably healthy overall. She's also in full-time daycare (I'm a single parent). She has a good buddy-3 weeks older than she is-who was breast fed for his first year (his mom did eat dairy) who basically had an 18-month long ear infection that continued despite tubes and antibiotics. Go figure. That said, I have no intention of introducing my daughter to moo milk, for the reasons mentioned in the original post about milk (yucky). We are technically ovo-lacto, but less so every day as I figure out how to eliminate animal products -- often with the help of the posts from this list:) Carol Mom to Lucia, 27 months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 Shelly, I was a strict vegan, have been for nearly a decade. I'm not sure if there is a direct connection between the mom consuming small amounts of dairy and the breastfed baby's incidence of ear infections. I think it would be difficult to prove. I do, however, know of mothers who had to cut out all dairy while breastfeeding because their babies got eczema from it. It has something to do with the milk protein passing directly through the breast milk. That being said, there could be a case made for ear infections that are caused by allergies. Eczema is basically an allergic reaction, so if a baby's reaction to milk proteins is nasal allergies, ear infections could result. Julie - Shelly Eades <sgeades Monday, January 21, 2002 4:30 PM RE: 'The Terrible Twos' by Robert Cohen > > > > My breastfed vegan baby got two ear infections last winter, > > both after he > > had bad colds. This winter he's faring much better, and we > > still nurse a > > couple of times a day. I think the difference is that > > bottle-fed babies are > > more prone to getting chronic ear infections that don't > > respond well to > > antibiotics and result in tube insertions. That's just been > > my experience. > > Julie > > Hi Julie, > > I assume you were strict vegan also while breastfeeding him? I'm curious to > figure out if breast fed babies whose mothers consumed dairy (even the > tiniest amount)have a higher incidence of ear infections. > > Thanks, > Shelly > > > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to http://www.vrg.org/family. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 22, 2002 Report Share Posted January 22, 2002 Shelly asked: <<I'm curious to figure out if breast fed babies whose mothers consumed dairy (even the tiniest amount)have a higher incidence of ear infections.>> FWIW, no problems with an (organic) dairy diet while breastfeeding in our family. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 23, 2002 Report Share Posted January 23, 2002 I breastfed my daughter and though I always hated milk, for some reason I really liked it when I was pregnant. Then after she was born I was eating a lot of yogurt and quite some cheese. I was not vegetarian at that point. Anyway, my daughter has never had an ear infection. Hugs, " My darling girl, when are you going to understand that being normal isn't necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage! " Aunt Frances in Practical Magic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 23, 2002 Report Share Posted January 23, 2002 My son (almost 2) has never had an ear infection and never really been sick. We've been vegan for years before I got pregnant, during pregnancy, and after. He has never been in daycare, but he spends a lot of time around other kids. I believe diet has a lot to do with health, but it is definitely only part of the picture. Linda Send FREE video emails in Mail! http://promo./videomail/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2002 Report Share Posted January 25, 2002 I am vegan and breastfed all three children (for 14, 20 and 19mos) and none of them have ever had an ear infection. Jackie E. R. Bakwin wrote: > > Shelly asked: > > <<I'm curious to figure out if breast fed babies whose mothers consumed > dairy (even the tiniest amount)have a higher incidence of ear > infections.>> > > FWIW, no problems with an (organic) dairy diet while breastfeeding in > our family. > > Liz > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to http://www.vrg.org/family. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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