The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report a 30 percent drop in doctor visits due to ear infection over the past 15 years which some hypothesize may be due to the use of a new vaccine, an increase in breast feeding, or a decline in the number of smoking households.
The vaccine, Prevnar, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2010 for use in preventing pneumococcal infections. While it is not currently approved for other uses, it also seems to reduce the number of ear infections in children who are prone to them.
Others believe the increased rate of breastfeeding is helping bring down the numbers of ear infections. Breast milk contains white blood cells and is rich in infection-fighting antibodies, which help to strengthen an infant’s immune system – and a stronger immune system leads to fewer infections.
Some credit the reduction in ear infections to the rise in the number of non-smoking households. Between 1974 and 1985, roughly 1.3 million Americans quit smoking each year. Because a child’s ear canal is more closely connected to the nose and throat than in adults, irritation caused by secondhand smoke can trigger inflammation in the ear.