<p>First of all, I’m impressed that some scientist even made this connection at some point, but I find this fascinating. I had no idea there was any indication of obesity in those with chronic ear infections.</p>
<p>I am now rethinking my paranoia that I was only imagining a condition that I should now have checked out. Last June, I had a horrible experience of having to fly with a bad cold, and my eardrum ruptured on the descent. It took me weeks to recover, slowly but surely, but I have noticed that my sense of taste and smell has diminished. I kept thinking that a stuffy nose that took weeks to resolve minimized my taste and smell, but really, my nose hasn’t been stuffy in over four weeks.</p>
<p>Since this is the parent’s cafe, how many of you parents out there had children who suffered from chronic ear infections? What do you think about this study?</p>
<p>Very interesting.
My son had chronic ear infections. Had several sets of tubes put in and even one taken out as they didn’t fall out on their own.<br>
He eventually had his tonsils and adenoids (spelling?) taken out.
He struggled with weight all through high school.
Lost a lot of weight in the past two years but through major hard work, diet and exercise.
I believe this could have some validity.</p>
<p>My younger son had severe ear infections and tubes and turned out to be a bean pole. He is a picky eater, though. I guess he must be an exception to the research.</p>
<p>My older son suffered with chronic (sometimes constant) ear infections until at age 16 he was diagnosed with extensive allergies. We know that he spent months each year unable to hear well, but he has always eaten plenty and compliments the food prep. He is very slim and has been pretty much all his life (non-athlete; not a regular excersizer). Perhaps his weight gain is still to come? He’s now 19.</p>
<p>I had chronic ear infections as a child - discovered in first grade when I was failing spelling tests (hearing different words than the teacher was saying). I have a severe sweet tooth, and I LOVE bacon. Nice to have an excuse. :)</p>
<p>D also had chronic ear infections, but we caught them early enough, and she was on prophylactic Penicillin for a year or so. She has an amazing musical ear, so I don’t think it affected her as much. But she shares both my sweet tooth and my love of bacon - much more than either of my other kids (who don’t have sweet tooths – teeth? – at all.)</p>
<p>My kids had the worst ears or anyone I knew (and I’m an audiologist). 2+ years of chronic infections and middle ear fluid. Outgrew it by age 2 1/2. Both are thin teens. Older one does not have much of a sweet tooth but younger one does. </p>
<p>My guess is this has to do with more than just ears. Did the kids have allergies/ sinus infections or congestion concurrently that may not have been diagnosed? This seems more like to have affected tastebuds.</p>
<p>Also, a large portion of the adult population is overweight and ear infections are the most frequent cause of pediatrician visits. How can you separate the two?</p>
<p>My son, now 16, had chronic ear infections. He had tubes & often got very sick from the infections (usually on vacation!). He is so skinny we weight him down in a strong wind so he won’t blow away!</p>
<p>I guess what the article pointed out to me (whether you think there’s sufficient research to make this valid or not) is the correlation between ear issues and/or taste/smell problems that I’m now having. I had a sweet tooth prior to my ordeal (when I go into our local Dairy Queen and tell them I want the usual, they ask what size), and I also had many bad ear infections as a child (but mine can be attributed to a cleft palate). </p>
<p>D1 had chronic ear infections and we went the prophylactic route as well with her, with much success. D2 did not have as many ear infections, but has much worse allergies. I will plead the 5th regarding any remarks on their body types, because no matter what I’d say, they are young women, and if they ever decided to visit CC, unless I described them as models, they’d surely find offense at anything I’d say!</p>
<p>For me, the interesting difference is that I breastfed D2 longer than D1, but D1’s problems began before I weaned her. </p>
<p>crazed - if you have any access to resources that might clarify this study for us, I’d appreciate it.</p>
<p>Our D also had chronic fluid and tubes in her ears placed twice. She has always had a terrible sense of smell and taste and we never made an association. But, for her it may have resulted in her not liking food that much, and her body types shows that.</p>
<p>My many-ear-infection S, referenced above, has a ridiculously keen sense of smell. I say ridiculous because he can smell our plates … it drives me nuts! He says the dishwasher makes them smell weird. I don’t use scented detergent, and I can’t smell them. I guess he’s the study’s outlier. :)</p>
<p>Actually, I have a very keen sense of smell, too, kelsmom - and am an extremely picky eater. I’m know there are some connections between our sense of smell and sense of taste, but I don’t think the article addresses sense of smell - It just says certain nerve endings associated with taste are affected. I’m not obese, so I don’t fit that part of the article, but all the foods they talk about fit me perfectly (except ice cream, which I can take or leave).</p>
<p>kelsmom - your comments remind me of how keen my sense of smell used to be. Believe it or not, I could smell water; I could tell how chlorinated it is, how hard or how soft it is. I was always very sensitive to traveling to other places where the water wasn’t like what I have at home. When I was pregnant, the smell of overly chlorinated water could make me sick.</p>
<p>When we were in SF last week and went down to see the sea lions at Pier 39, my whole family commented on how bad it smelled. I did not smell anything bad.</p>
<p>teriwitt, re water, I believe you. I am the same, a bloodhound.</p>
<p>I can smell illness, I can smell a cavity, I can smell all sorts of weird stuff. If I sniff you, I can probably tell you what you had for lunch!</p>
<p>PS I had <em>crazy</em> ear infections as a kid. One son also had chronic ear problems. Ours had to do with jaw problems, it appears, as he and I both had the same jaw issues as well and my other S, with Dad’s jaw, escaped all the problems.</p>
<p>How many of us that did not have chronic recurrent middle ear fluid/infections still live bacon, ice cm. pretzels, oreos. Fatty foods do intensify flavors. </p>
<p>I would be interested to read a study re: kids who had long term recurrent middle ear fluid/infections and were treated with antibiotics and time vs the group that had tubes inserted rather quickly. Also, is there a way to get around genetics in this. Intensely flavored food does not always equate to fatty high caloric foods (though we can’t help but love them!)</p>
<p>If I come across other articles, I’ll post. I am always a skeptic until enough research is done.</p>