Can my son still drinking from the bottle be causing ear infections?

Question

Some people are saying that the liquid can drain into the tubes causing the fluid to build up.

Sorry he is 13 months old and the reason he's not completely on the sippy cup is because when he got sick, he only wanted to drink from the bottle. A comfort thing, I suppose and then he got another one at the same time in the other ear. That is why I am asking.

Answer 1

Yes bottle feeding increases the risks of ear infections, particularly if the baby isn't sitting upright. However even when sitting upright the pressure caused by sucking a bottle or even a pacifier can cause ear infections:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ear-infections/EI99999/PAGE=EI00005
Bottle-feeding. Infants who are bottle-fed are more likely to develop ear infections than are infants who are breast-fed. Breast-feeding helps by passing along immunity from the mother that prevents middle ear infections. To prevent ear infections in your bottle-fed infant, hold your baby upright during feeding. Don't feed a child of any age from a bottle while he or she is lying in bed. Lying down while drinking from a bottle can lead to blocked auditory tubes.

Pacifier use. Babies who rely on a pacifier as a way to self-soothe have a higher risk of developing ear infections. Pacifier use is directly related to ear infection problems in babies, especially those between 6 and 12 months of age. However, there's no evidence that thumb sucking increases the risk of ear infection.

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_earinfec_hhg.htm
Avoid bottle propping. If you bottle-feed, hold your baby at a 45° angle. Feeding in the horizontal position can cause formula and other fluids to flow back into the eustachian tube. Allowing an infant to hold his own bottle also can cause milk to drain into the middle ear. Weaning your baby from a bottle between 9 and 12 months of age will help stop this problem.



http://www.thedoctorwillseeyounow.com/articles/other/otitis_19/
Sucking on pacifiers, toys, thumbs and similar objects can cause the same problems inside the ear as bottle feeding. The common factor in all of these activities is that negative pressure is generated in the mouth and the vacuum is then transferred to the middle ear. So the first step in preventing ear infections would be to consider taking pacifiers and the like away from children, and training them not to suck their thumbs. As for feeding, the answer is simple -- to breast feed or, failing that, to use special feeding bottles that are designed to prevent the creation of negative pressure.

Not only does negative middle ear pressure increase a child's risk for otitis media, but severe cases of otitis media can have even worse long-term consequences. Studies have shown a definite relationship between this kind of negative pressure in the ear and development of more serious ear disease. It may lead to a condition known as secretory otitis, which can cause permanent hearing loss, along with delayed speech development. It may also contribute to the development of other, irreversible kinds of middle ear disease (examples include atelectasis, adhesive otitis, and cholesteatoma).

If breast feeding is out of the question, parents should try to reduce the risk of vacuum and air bubble formation by using feeding bottles with continuous positive pressure at the nipple during the entire feeding cycle.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000638.htm
Anything that causes the eustachian tubes and upper airways to become inflamed or irritated, or cause more fluids to be produced, can lead to a blocked eustachian tube. These include:

* Colds and sinus infections
* Allergies
* Tobacco smoke or other irritants
* Infected or overgrown adenoids
* Excess mucus and saliva produced during teething

Ear infections are also more likely if a child spends a lot of time drinking from a sippy cup or bottle while lying on his or her back. Contrary to popular opinion, getting water in the ears will not cause an acute ear infection, unless the eardrum has a hole from a previous episode.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Can my son still drinking from the bottle be causing ear infections?
Some people are saying that the liquid can drain into the tubes causing the fluid to build up.

Answer 3

The sucking action from the bottle places a strain on the inner-ear as air pressure is placed upon the drum due to the partial vacuum in the mouth. This can cause irritation and pain. Small particles of dust and/or liquid may be forced into the ear by the motion of the air entering the ear canal, resulting in infections.

The number one cause of ear infections in infants and young children is overzealous mothers who make too great an effort to clean the ear canal. Ear wax is protection. If it is causing a problem, let the pediatrician take care of it.

Answer 4

You don't mention the age of your son, so that one is a bit tricky. Some children just are prone to ear infections requiring lots of attention until they grow past the toddler stage. Some require tubes in their ears as even at an older age they continue to get the infections.

There are many instances of babies getting repeated ear infections until they were weaned from the bottle. Bacteria in bottles not properly washed can also be the culprit. We wouldn't think of drinking from a glass that's been laying about on the floor all day but children that can toddle about with a bottle, drop their ba-ba and come back for it later and no one thinks to take it away and replace with a fresh one. Of course at this age a sippy cup is more proper. So is keeping them seated when eating and drinking at the table.

In any case, bottle feeding should never be left to the child alone at any age. If they are small enough to require a bottle, you should be holding the baby at all times. Propping a bottle in any manner and walking off is not good for the baby and can be dangerous. Taking a bottle to bed can lead to problems with their teeth being damaged from the build up of bacteria over the night. Water should be given as the last drink of the evening for babies to protect both their baby teeth and later their permanent teeth.

Answer 5

I have a son, Joey Niceforo, who is a young 27 year old tenor, with a group called "DESTINO" recording in Vancouver Bc, Canada.

For the last few weeks Joey has had a cold. Just a few days ago he developed an ear ache, a swollen ear and loss of hearing. He was diagnosed with serous otitis media (middle ear infection).

The major concern we have is that Joey and the Group DESTINO have been booked to open the Marie Osmond show in Disney World on April 3,

Have a quick remedy for our son??

Joey's ear got better just before flying.

He also got the special ear plugs for flying, and arrived in Florida, from Vancouver, on April 1st. On April 2nd he told us the ear was almost 100 percent, and he will, with the other, great DESTINO tenors be performing, in the COLORADO BALL ROOM DISNEY WORLD tonight at 7 pm.

This help was so effective, and helpful, to our young Canadian tenor, Joey Niceforo. I'm sure this input and therapy advice will, and has helped others.

Answer 6

Pacifier And Ear Infections

Answer 7

It's not whether he's "still" drinking from a bottle. It's probably because he's laying down flat on his back to drink them. That does make the fluid drain down to his ears (they are the lowest point in his head when laying down - gravity makes loose liquid go there). That is in fact a big cause of ear infections. I'm sure there are arguments against it - but my daughter never layed flat and never had an ear infection during bottles and in fact, has never had one in almost 5 years.

Answer 8

How old is your son. I heard that with my youngest son. If the child is under one and doesn't how to drink out of a sippy cup. This want my doctor told me to do. My son had his bottle till he was 18 months. He get sick alot with his asthma so the only he would keep drinking was from the bottle so I couldn't take him off. When he was baby. Get a pillow. Put his head uo and shoulder like you would be sleeping but lying down a little. they told me that would help with that. It won't try to get in the ears. If the child hold enough ti try to intduce a sippy cup you can try at dinner time.

Answer 9

I've read some reports that it can but the evidence is really not 100% clear. My son had ear infections a lot. His doctor said just to be on the safe side I should alway hold him upright when feeding him. A lot of babies ear infections. If they are really frequent (said 4 or more in 6 months) ask you doctor to refer you to and ENT specialist. Or you can just call one up in your area if your insurance allows specialist appointment without a referral. Just stay on the doc until things clear up because the baby's hearing can be effected and frequently being on antibotics is not good.

Answer 10

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Yes yes yes, that is the number one tell-tale sign of an ear infection. When my daughter was 11 months old she wouldn't drink anything, it was after hours and we were worried so we took her to the hospital. It turned out that she had a double ear infection and a throat infection.

Answer 11

It can be a contributing factor. But the key is to NEVER put them in bed with a bottle. Hold them so they are more upright.

My son went off of his bottle by one and continues to get ear infections to this day and he is 31.

So ?? I just do not know for certain.