Ear infections can be painful and frustrating. A new study suggests that increasing levels of vitamin D could reduce the incidence of recurrent ear infections in children, especially in those with vitamin D levels are very low. According to the University of Maryland, 75 percent of all children
experience ear infections and at the age of one year, 60 percent of children will experience at least one ear infection.
Lowering the incidence of ear infections by increasing the levels of serum vitamin D
Researchers from the University of Milan, Italy observed 116 children who have middle ear inflammation ( otitis media ) relapse. Recurrent otitis media is defined as " three or more events in the 6 months prior to study, or four or more events in the 12 months prior to the study".
The average age of participants was about 34 months, mostly white and more than 80 percent of each group had received pneumococcal conjugate vaccine ( PCV ), which is a vaccine used to protect infants and toddlers from the threat of disease caused by bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. More than 72 percent of the test group and 84 percent of the placebo group had been breastfed for three months or more. The children were given doses of 1000IU of vitamin D and placebo to be taken for 4 months. The whole group then followed for 6 months to see scene of acute otitis media.
The results revealed that the number of children who have one or more incidence of acute otitis media, were significantly lower in the group given vitamin D compared with the placebo group ( 26 vs 38 ). The incidence of acute otitis media complex also decreased significantly.
Dr. Susanna Esposito, one of the researchers, notes that as many as 80 percent of children in the study had a baseline serum vitamin D levels less than 0 ng / mL. All but two of the children in the vitamin D group known to have increased by more than 30 ng / mL. Esposito suggested to the doctors when the patients ( children ) who experience recurrent otitis media, you should check the serum levels of vitamin D it. If the level is low, can be considered to be added.
If you are a parent who has a
child with recurrent ear infections, you can ask your doctor to check your vitamin D levels, and consult your child does need to be added or not.
Vitamin D Help to Overcome Ear Infections -
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