By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer
ATLANTA – Ear infections, a scourge that has left countless tots screaming through the night, have fallen dramatically, and some researchers suggest a decline in smoking by parents might be part of the reason.
Health officials report nearly a 30 percent drop over 15 years in young children’s doctor visits for ear infections. That’s half a million fewer trips to the doctor on average.
Why the numbers are declining is a bit of a mystery, but Harvard researchers think it’s partly because fewer people smoke, meaning less irritation of children’s airways. Many doctors credit growing use of a vaccine against bacteria that cause ear infections. And some think increased breast-feeding is protecting more children.