Army Thread Thursday 22nd December
Until recently, all children with ear infections were given antibiotics. New research suggests that many children with ear infections will get better without antibiotics, and with no ill effects. This is called the �observation option.� This option reduces the use of unnecessary antibiotics, and limits the child�s exposure to the side effects of antibiotics. It also reduces the chance that �super bacteria� � bacteria that cannot be killed by antibiotics � will develop.
Your child�s health caregiver may offer this option if your child is over age 2, does not have pus draining from the ear, has not had an ear infection in more than three months, is otherwise healthy, and will have medical follow-up within 48 hours. If your health caregiver does not discuss it, you may want to ask if this is an option for your child.
A child who is seen in an emergency room or urgent care center may be given an antibiotic if the health caregiver is concerned that the child will not see his or her own health caregiver within 48 hours.
It is important that you allow the caregiver to decide if the observation option will be used. If, on the other hand, antibiotics are needed, you should trust him or her to select the proper medication and course of treatment. A parent should not insist on choosing the antibiotic.
If an antibiotic is prescribed, it will likely be AMOXICILLIN, unless the child is allergic to penicillin. Depending on the situation, the provider may decide that the child should take the antibiotic for five days instead of the usual 10 days. This should be the decision of the health caregiver. If the treatment doesn�t work, more antibiotics may be needed.
Of course, differences in children, and the severity of the illness, may change these choices.
Remember, a single dose of an antibiotic will not make the ear infection feel better! In fact, the antibiotic will not relieve the symptoms. Ear pain from an infection should be treated with a non-aspirin pain reliever.
Even if your child appears better, make sure that your child takes all the antibiotics prescribed by your health caregiver.
Until recently, all children with ear infections were given antibiotics. New research suggests that many children with ear infections will get better without antibiotics, and with no ill effects. This is called the �observation option.� This option reduces the use of unnecessary antibiotics, and limits the child�s exposure to the side effects of antibiotics. It also reduces the chance that �super bacteria� � bacteria that cannot be killed by antibiotics � will develop.
Your child�s health caregiver may offer this option if your child is over age 2, does not have pus draining from the ear, has not had an ear infection in more than three months, is otherwise healthy, and will have medical follow-up within 48 hours. If your health caregiver does not discuss it, you may want to ask if this is an option for your child.
A child who is seen in an emergency room or urgent care center may be given an antibiotic if the health caregiver is concerned that the child will not see his or her own health caregiver within 48 hours.
It is important that you allow the caregiver to decide if the observation option will be used. If, on the other hand, antibiotics are needed, you should trust him or her to select the proper medication and course of treatment. A parent should not insist on choosing the antibiotic.
If an antibiotic is prescribed, it will likely be AMOXICILLIN, unless the child is allergic to penicillin. Depending on the situation, the provider may decide that the child should take the antibiotic for five days instead of the usual 10 days. This should be the decision of the health caregiver. If the treatment doesn�t work, more antibiotics may be needed.
Of course, differences in children, and the severity of the illness, may change these choices.
Remember, a single dose of an antibiotic will not make the ear infection feel better! In fact, the antibiotic will not relieve the symptoms. Ear pain from an infection should be treated with a non-aspirin pain reliever.
Even if your child appears better, make sure that your child takes all the antibiotics prescribed by your health caregiver.
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