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February 2019

Blog Post: Ear Infections: Is Your Kiddo a Poor Plumber??

By | Events

Is your Kiddo a poor plumber? 

Parents, you might be wondering what in the world a “poor plumber” is, so let’s talk! In our office, we use this term to talk about kiddos that are having problems with colds, congestion, sinus infections, allergies, etc. There are two different categories that these kiddos who are “poor plumbers” normally fall into. 

The first category is those that have too much fluid in their pipes. Now what can happen in this case as this fluid builds up, it can get backed up. When this back up happens and this fluid lingers in one place for too long, that’s when there is high susceptibility for an infection. We tend to see more fluid in times where kiddos have colds, runny noses and teething going on. As pediatric chiropractors, our goal is to keep that fluid moving throughout the pipes and the way we do that is through adjustments. 

Another malfunction that can happen when kiddos are “poor plumbers” is pipes not being able to drain properly. When those pathways are not allowing fluid to drain properly, we can see sinus infections, colds and ear infections. Fluid from our sinuses should flow freely and be able to drain out of our system. When there is poor drainage happening and that fluid is not moving, it can get lodged in those sinuses as well as in the chest leading to sinus and respiratory infections. 

What contributes to issues with plumbing? 

In our field, we are so fortunate to get to work with so many kiddos! What we have noticed in working with these kiddos is that those with more tension and stress in their systems tend to have more issues with plumbing. So little ones that have had torticollis or plagiocephaly early on, or maybe they had a rough entrance into the world and were very colicky, fussy babies. This population of kiddos seems to be more prone to things like colds, congestion, respiratory issues and ear infections. 

Stress and the immune system 

In order for your kiddo to be healthy and have a healthy immune system, it is so important to maintain a balance between stress and the immune system. Stress in all forms can overwhelm the immune system, making kiddos more susceptible to the yucky stuff that causes plumbing issues. What we want is to keep that immune system strong, not allowing the stress to overwhelm it, so that your child’s body can kick sickness to the curb like it was designed to do! 

How can chiropractic help? 

Chiropractic adjustments along with boosting the immune system, help to keep that fluid tends to stall and get backed up, moving. Adjustments also stimulate the parasympathetic side of the nervous system, which helps with rest, digestion relaxation and most importantly IMMUNE FUNCTION. When the immune system is able to react and fight like it should, our kiddos are able to stay healthy and fight off illnesses. If any of these “poor plumbing” issues are affecting your kiddo, please feel free to reach out to us and let us help you keep your families healthy!