Child Health

Early Antibiotic Treatment for Ear Infections Provides Better Success

By Susan Brady

Early Antibiotic Treatment for Ear Infections Provides Better Success

While antibiotics have become overprescribed and are often misused, leading to a rise in antibiotic resistance, there is compelling evidence that providing early antibiotic treatment to children with ear infections (otitis media) significantly raises the success for a quick resolution.

A multicenter U.S. trial showed that children who were treated with antibiotics at the onset of otitis media had “more durable symptom resolution” and a 70% to 80% lower rate of clinical failure compared to children who with observation. A better outcome was slightly tainted by the higher rate of diarrhea experienced by those taking the antibiotics.

"The benefit must be weighed against concern not only about the side effects of the medication but also about the contribution of antimicrobial treatment to the emergence of bacterial resistance," Alejandro Hoberman, M.D., of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and co-authors wrote in today’s New England Journal of Medicine.

Antibiotics are chemical substances derived from microorganisms like fungi and bacteria that is used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms. The most common use is in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, though it can also be used to treat minor discomforts and aid in the healing of minor wounds. There are more than 100 different antibiotics available, but there are several main classes that include such well-known drugs as penicillin and tetracycline. Each one is effective for specific types of infections, as the bacteria that causes the infections vary.

European nations use the “watchful waiting” strategy in children with mild otitis media, utilizing antibiotics for severe or prolonged cases. While the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians have endorsed watchful waiting as an option for children 6 to 23 months of age who have nonsevere illness, the general protocol in the U.S. is still antibiotic therapy.

When it comes to proper antibiotic use, FDA recommends the following:

• Don’t skip doses and take your medicine as prescribed. Antibiotics are most effective when taken as prescribed.
• Don’t save antibiotics. The drug is meant for a particular infection at that time. Don’t use leftover medicine. Taking the wrong drug can delay the appropriate treatment and your infection might get worse.
• Don’t take antibiotics prescribed for others. Only a health care professional can determine the right treatment for your infection.

source: healthnews.com