September 2006
Children’s ear infections: No antibiotics needed?
A new study strengthens the case for taking a "watchful waiting" approach when it comes to treating ear infections in children.
Published in the Sept. 13, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study involved some 300 children with newly diagnosed ear infections. Parents of about half of the children were given a prescription for an antibiotic and told to fill it immediately. The other half of the parents were given a prescription for the same antibiotic but were told to wait 48 hours and see if their child got worse. All the parents were given the pain and fever reducer ibuprofen as well as eardrops to further help with any pain.
Parents of roughly two-thirds of the children in the "wait and see" group didn't fill the prescription. The children in that group recovered from their ear infections at about the same rate as those who received the antibiotic.
For more information about this approach to treating your child's ear infections--as well as other areas of medical treatment where such "watchful waiting" is an effective option--go to the Consumer Reports Medical Guide Web site.
Published in the Sept. 13, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the study involved some 300 children with newly diagnosed ear infections. Parents of about half of the children were given a prescription for an antibiotic and told to fill it immediately. The other half of the parents were given a prescription for the same antibiotic but were told to wait 48 hours and see if their child got worse. All the parents were given the pain and fever reducer ibuprofen as well as eardrops to further help with any pain.
Parents of roughly two-thirds of the children in the "wait and see" group didn't fill the prescription. The children in that group recovered from their ear infections at about the same rate as those who received the antibiotic.
For more information about this approach to treating your child's ear infections--as well as other areas of medical treatment where such "watchful waiting" is an effective option--go to the Consumer Reports Medical Guide Web site.
