New Approach to Treating Ear Infections
Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released the first national guidelines related to the diagnosis and treatment of otitis media (middle ear infections). Historically, such infections have been one of the most common health problems encountered by small children. One group reports that up to 75% of all children have suffered from and ear infection by the time they are 3 years of age. The AAP guidelines recommend the prescribing of pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) for most children and the use of antibiotics only if the condition persists or does not improve.
In October, a study published in the medical journal Lancet, found that antibiotics prescribed for ear infections in children under the age of 2 years are only beneficial when both ears are infected. Researchers found that “watchful waiting” was acceptable in most cases. In a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Owen Hendley suggests that physicians hold off for 48 to 72 hours before antibiotics are prescribed or have parents get antibiotic prescriptions filled, because many times ear infections will clear up on their own.