I hope this isn't redundant.  I have gone NOMAIL as my "habit" was consuming
too much of my time.  I am catching up on old posts.

One of my co-workers had a child (2 years old, I think) with persistent ear
infections.  Her pediatrician referred her to an ENT expecting a
recommendation for myringotomy and tubes.  My coworker told the ENT she
wanted to avoid tubes if possible and thought the problem might be related to
allergies.  The ENT, who had a degree in nutrition, agreed.  She talked to
the mother about dietary modifications related to allergies and put the child
on vitamin C.   (This had been an exclusively breastfed baby several months.
 I think she was weaned from the breast at about 9 months to a year.  There
is a strong family history of allergies.)  The last I heard this took care of
the problem.

My own children had a lot of ear infections.  We first noticed with our
oldest son that he "wasn't listening" to us.  (I think he was about 4 years
old--had been breastfed for 7 months.)  Finally my husband said, "Maybe he
can't hear us."  The pediatrician said he had a lot of fluid behind the ear
drum.  He was initially treated with antibiotics, but thereafter when the
symptoms were only hearing loss, he was treated only with
decongestant-antihistamine combinations.  We eventually moved from a wet cool
climate to the desert.  He had very infrequent ear problems after that.  With
our other children, we gave the decongestant-antihistamine whenever they got
a cold.  This seemed to prevent ear infections and hearing problems.  We used
antibiotics only when they had pain and/or fever  (i.e. were acting sick with
ears being the apparent cause).

I have a personal theory about the frequency with which we see ear infections
these days.  I think air polution is a contributing factor.  I can't remember
these problems when I was raised out in the country.  Another nurse I no says
her nieces and nephews  who live on a farm never had the problem her daughter
had in the city.  After all, if smoking is a contributing factor in ear
infections, why not air pollution.  This is purely theoretical and anecdotal.
 If you have data or opinions on this, please e-mail me privately as well as
posting to the list as I am currently NOMAIL.     Bonnie Jones, RN, ICCE,
IBCLC