overuse of antibiotics in acute ottitis media
Over use of Antibiotics in Ear Infections
The over use of antibiotics is a serious public health threat. Children are becoming desensitized to the effects of antibiotics due to being unnecessarily overmedicated. Over use of antibiotics for acute otitis media (AOM) can lead to future antibiotic resistant infections. Otitis media is usually a result of a poorly functioning Eustachian tube, a canal that links the middle ear with the throat area. Of the three basic types of ear infections, acute otitis media may benefit from antibiotics because it is often caused by bacteria. However, other types of ear infections are caused by viruses, and there is no definite way to determine if bacterial or viral for sure. Antibiotic overuse in children has become a common problem, aggravated by parental pressure for the medication Should uncomplicated acute otitis media be treated conservatively prior to antibiotic therapy?
Healthy children with uncomplicated acute otitis media can be treated conservatively with over the counter therapy and home remedies versus physician supervised antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics are being used too often and no longer work effectively against bacterial infections.
Healthy children ages 2-12 are examined by otoscope and show to all have swollen red eardrums. Both showed signs of pain, effusion and low grade fever. Treatment is held for 48-72 hours from onset of acute symptoms to see if infection will clear up spontaneously. Some of the children were given a standard 10 days course of antibiotics while the others were given a placebo controlled trial with conservative treatments. Conservative treatment includes Tylenol, warm compress and decongestants.
After the study it has been shown that 1 in 8 children need antibiotics to treat their ear infection. It has been shown that giving children antibiotics for ear infections does little to speed their recovery while raising the risk of side effects. The decision
The over use of antibiotics is a serious public health threat. Children are becoming desensitized to the effects of antibiotics due to being unnecessarily overmedicated. Over use of antibiotics for acute otitis media (AOM) can lead to future antibiotic resistant infections. Otitis media is usually a result of a poorly functioning Eustachian tube, a canal that links the middle ear with the throat area. Of the three basic types of ear infections, acute otitis media may benefit from antibiotics because it is often caused by bacteria. However, other types of ear infections are caused by viruses, and there is no definite way to determine if bacterial or viral for sure. Antibiotic overuse in children has become a common problem, aggravated by parental pressure for the medication Should uncomplicated acute otitis media be treated conservatively prior to antibiotic therapy?
Healthy children with uncomplicated acute otitis media can be treated conservatively with over the counter therapy and home remedies versus physician supervised antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics are being used too often and no longer work effectively against bacterial infections.
Healthy children ages 2-12 are examined by otoscope and show to all have swollen red eardrums. Both showed signs of pain, effusion and low grade fever. Treatment is held for 48-72 hours from onset of acute symptoms to see if infection will clear up spontaneously. Some of the children were given a standard 10 days course of antibiotics while the others were given a placebo controlled trial with conservative treatments. Conservative treatment includes Tylenol, warm compress and decongestants.
After the study it has been shown that 1 in 8 children need antibiotics to treat their ear infection. It has been shown that giving children antibiotics for ear infections does little to speed their recovery while raising the risk of side effects. The decision