New Vaccine Approved by FDA May Prevent Ear Infections

What if there was a way to prevent ear infections in children? It's now possible with the help of a vaccine just approved by the U-S Food and Drug administration. The vaccine protects children from

Thursday, February 17th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

What if there was a way to prevent ear infections in children? It's now possible with the help of a vaccine just approved by the U-S Food and Drug administration. The vaccine protects children from a type of bacteria that leads to pneumococcal disease -- the most common cause of ear infections in children.

It's given by injection at 2, 4, and 6 months of age with a booster at 12 to 15 months. While the vaccine does not protect against all ear infections, studies show it
reduces the occurrence of infection. Children who received the vaccine were 23 per cent less likely to have frequent bouts of ear infections. They were also 20 per cent less likely to need ear tube surgery.

Most parents don't realize pneumococcal disease can also cause meningitis and
bacteremia, a severe bloodstream infection. The vaccine is 100 per cent effective against these two rare conditions.

The vaccine could have protected Adam Pickett. As an infant, he had an ear infection so severe, it led to meningitis or inflammation of the brain. The type of meningitis young Pickett had would leave 20 per cent of the children who contracted it dead. Of those who survived, 50 per cent would be left with some life-long disability primarily deafness, and severe mental retardation.

Although a major advance, the vaccine is not perfect since there are over
80 types of pneumoccocus and the vaccine only covers seven. But those seven types are responsible for about 85 per cent of severe diseases, and eliminate about all pneumococcal infections.

Young Pickett was lucky, though his parents say more than three years after his ordeal with meningitis, he's still not out of the woods. â€œHe looks great,â€ said Robin Winkler, the boyâ€™s mother. â€œHe's a great big boy, but the one thing we have in the back of
our minds is potential for learning disabilities. Weâ€™ll just have to wait and see."

The new vaccine is expensive: $230 for 4 doses. A government committee voted this week to recommend it for all infants and children up to age two. Children between the ages of two and five only need one $58 dose of the vaccine. The committee is recommending it for those children with chronic diseases. It should also be considered for children in daycare and those who have chronic ear infections.