7 signs your child may have a food intolerance
3. Chronic ear infections
Possible culprit: Dairy intolerance and, for some, soy sensitivity. Some research has shown that 90 percent of kids with recurring ear infections or ear fluid have food reactions, a statistic Dorfman says her current patients corroborate. The usual suspect: dairy products. However, about half of people who react to dairy also react to soy, according to Dorfman.
Action plan: Quit dairy and soy for several months. Because children don’t suffer ear infections every week, it can take longer to verify a correlation. Dorfman recommends eliminating soy milk, soy yogurt and tofu, but adds that ultrasensitive individuals may need to avoid processed foods, most of which contain soy byproducts.