The association between cow’s milk consumption and recurrent ear infections in children has been documented for 50 years. While there are rare instances of pathogens in milk causing ear infections directly (and even meningitis), milk allergy is the most problematic.
In fact, there is a respiratory disease called Heiner’s syndrome that affects babies primarily due to the consumption of milk, which can lead to ear infections.
Although allergies most commonly result in respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin symptoms, sometimes, in 1 in 500 cases, children may suffer from speech delay due to chronic internal ear inflammation.
It has been recommended for 40 years to try eliminating milk from the diet of children with recurrent ear infections for three months, but Dr. Benjamin Spock, probably the most respected pediatrician of all time, eventually dispelled the myth about the benefits and necessity of cow’s milk.