ACA Endorses "Watchful Waiting," Chiropractic for

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection - the most frequent childhood illness after the common cold - accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits each year; what's more, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the condition.

Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation and specifically recommend a period of "watchful waiting" since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication; the guidelines suggest medical intervention only in cases that do not subside after three months or are particularly severe in nature.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) commends the AAP on the guidelines and emphasizes that chiropractic care is a "good first option" for treating ear infection conservatively.

"Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success - helping them avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery," said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. "Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort."

Dr. Krippendorf added: "The ACA is pleased that a medical organization such as the [AAP] is advocating restraint against unnecessary drugs and surgeries, especially for our nation's children. Not only are antibiotics and other drugs often prescribed unnecessarily, but they often carry side-effects not involved with chiropractic manipulation."