Child Ear Infections Not Always Need Antibiotics

KOMPAS.com - Not all children who suffer from middle ear infections require antibiotics. In fact, they may not need treatment at all if the cause is a virus. This was stated by your physician for the United States.

Children age 6 months to 2 years with an ear infection that was not accompanied by high fever, chronic pain, and other complications can be treated for 48 hours without being given antibiotics. This is because doctors need to see after this time if the infection is getting worse. The time period of 48 hours may also be applied to older children with mild infection in one or both ears at once.
This guide is made by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which aims to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Rational use of antibiotics can exacerbate resistance of some strains of microbes to antibiotics.
Current guidelines from the AAP is more complete and detailed diagnosis of infection in children with younger age, complementing previous guide aimed at children with older age who experience mild ear infection.
Guide specifically discusses on acute otitis disease, or an infection, or inflammation of the middle ear are the most common antibiotic treatment.
"We believe there is excessive use of antibiotics in the community," said Andres Orjuela ENT specialist at Miami Children's Hospital, who was not involved in the making of the guide. The new guidelines are very useful in helping physicians to provide diagnosis and treatment of ear infections.
"Some studies suggest that children with frequent ear infections will get better for a few days and delaying treatment will not harm the child," said Orjuela.
However, some children will require antibiotics, including children who have infections in both ears, and all children infection symptoms persist for more than 48 hours. Physicians who use a "wait and see" for 48 hours to treat ear infections need to ensure the development, and still provide treatment if necessary.
A 2007 study found that physicians often hesitate to suspend the use of antibiotics for ear infections because their parents are not willing to use this approach. Therefore doctors should be able to provide insight to parents.
Sources: http://health.kompas.com/read/2013/02/26/1208174/