Is there really a vaccine that can prevent ear infections?

Yes! A vaccine, called the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, has been shown in large clinical trials to reduce the risk of middle ear infections. It has also been shown to decrease the risk of other infections caused by pneumococcus. The vaccine is FDA approved and has been in use since 2000. It is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics for all children less than 2 years of age and certain high risk children up to the age of 5 years. More detailed information regarding the vaccine can be downloaded from the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/Pubs/vis/downloads/vis-pneumoconjugate.pdf.