Hey MilDoc

[crokett]

Maybe getting you in trouble again but pacifier use linked to ear infections:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7463911.stm

The article does make a point of saying they are not sure exactly why. Best gues is what I would guess. Kids with pacifiers have their hands near their heads more, so more opportunity for germy slobber to migrate to ears. I wonder if there is a correlation with thumb suckers?

FWIW my youngest sucks her binky way more than her sister did and has never had an ear infection. Actually, neither of them has.

[jking]

I think genetics may have a bigger factor than pacifier usage. A friend of mine has a four yr old who's had persistent ear infections. I think he's on his third set of tubes. It turns out the mom also had real bad ear infections when she was a kid. Eventually grew out of it around 4 or 5.

Both of my boys have nice big ear canals (as described by our ped.). We've had very little trouble. My oldest (3 yrs) was a "binky boy" through & through until about his 2 yr birthday.

I've also seen an article where they claim pacifier usage while sleeping may decrease the risk of SIDS.

In some ways the pacifier is better than a thumb because you can take away the pacifier at some point.

[crokett]

My sister got all three of her kids to suck their thumb - it is always with them and is generally cleaner than binky.

[MilDoc]

The evidence re: pacifiers has been kicking around for years and years. This new study is the best I've seen. I have told parents whose kids get > 1 infection to get rid of the pacifier.

Other known contributing factors: lying down with a bottle, daycare attendance (more chance of any infection), and second hand smoke.

And genetics certainly plays a role. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nose. It's shape, size, route, etc. all depends on the way the inside of you head is put together, so to speak. And that can certainly be genetically determined.

[scmhogg]

all depends on the way the inside of you head is put together, so to speak. And that can certainly be genetically determined.

Paul, that is the knowledge of the ages, put succinctly.

LOML and I have represented third and fourth generations in our criminal law practice. When some of our clients have children, we look upon it as an annuity.

Steve

[Mrs. Wallnut]

The evidence re: pacifiers has been kicking around for years and years. This new study is the best I've seen. I have told parents whose kids get > 1 infection to get rid of the pacifier.

Other known contributing factors: lying down with a bottle, daycare attendance (more chance of any infection), and second hand smoke.

And genetics certainly plays a role. The eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nose. It's shape, size, route, etc. all depends on the way the inside of you head is put together, so to speak. And that can certainly be genetically determined.

I have heard genetics might be part of the problem. Maybe my daughter takes after me then. She is the one that had the ear infections and had tubes in her ears and also we found when they put the tubes in that she had a cyst on her ear drum and we had to have two surgeries for that. The second one worked and she hasn't had any problems since. And the two boys have not had any problems at all. The oldest son had I think maybe one and the youngest hasn't had an ear infection at all.

My pediatrician hasn't said anything about the youngest having a pacifier, at least not yet. Right now I know it keeps him calm when we are going places, and most of the time I can get him to give it up for a while and he uses it when he goes to bed.

[MilDoc]

My pediatrician hasn't said anything about the youngest having a pacifier, at least not yet. Right now I know it keeps him calm when we are going places, and most of the time I can get him to give it up for a while and he uses it when he goes to bed.

I generally don't worry much about pacifiers. But, one ENT expert feels that IF they contribute to ear infections, it's MAINLY when the child has one lying down.

The only other damage they can do is to pull front teeth forward (orthodontic bills anyone?), but that mainly seems to occur only in older kids (over 1 year) that ALWAYS have one in their mouth.

[MilDoc]

When some of our clients have children, we look upon it as an annuity.

Steve

Overuse of antibiotics has led to a lot of resistance, as in MRSA infections. We call that "job assurance."