Is Antibiotic Treatment For Ear Infections Really Needed?
The idea of “delaying antibiotic treatment”
Some kids really need antibiotics, but most do not. Recent study has shown that two-thirds of the antibiotic prescriptions written to parents urged to delay treatment never got filled. The idea of delaying antibiotic treatment for ear infections is not new. The strategy is catching on in Europe, and the American Academy of Pediatrics says 80% of children whose ear infections are not treated immediately with antibiotics get better on their own.
Far too often people get antibiotics for earaches. Many supposed ear infections aren’t ear infections at all, just earaches. Ear infections have fluid, by definition.
Antibiotics for ear infection
The 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the treatment of ear infections includes specific recommendation of how antibiotics should be used in different situations.
Promotes healthy, clear ears in babies and children
Internal herbal drops promotes outer, middle and inner ear health and balance
Soothes the ear canal and helps maintain normal levels of ear wax
If antibiotics are used, high-dose amoxicillin is the best choice for most children – along with treatment for their ear pain.
If the child is allergic to amoxicillin, then Ceftin, Omnicef, or Vantin are the preferred choices. If the child is also allergic to all four of these, then Zithromax or Biaxin are the recommended alternatives.
If the child with the ear infection has a fever over 102.2 F or is severely ill, then the best starting antibiotic is usually Augmentin.
Whatever the initial antibiotic, it should be changed if there is not clear improvement within 48 to 72 hours. High-dose Augmentin is usually the best follow-up choice.
Five things to know before giving antibiotic to children:
1. Antibiotics only work on ear infections that are bacterial in origin, they do nothing for those caused by viruses such as colds, allergies, mechanical obstructions, or nutrition.
2. Antibiotics do not permanently eliminate build-up fluid in the middle ear, the source of chronic ear infections.
3. A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that children who took Amoxicillin for chronic infections were actually 2-6 times more likely to have a recurrence of fluid build-up.
4. Excessive antibiotic use can disrupt the balance of beneficial intestinal bacteria and can lead to digestive disturbances and recurrent infections.
5. Antibiotics do not help pain during the most painful first 24 hours, and help pain only minimally after that.
Careless use of antibiotics can also lead to more resistant bacteria in the environment, making common infections harder to treat in everyone.
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