
WAITING STOPS EXCESS USE OF ANTIBIOTICS FOR CHILD EAR INFECTIONS
Children with ear infections recover just as well when their parents wait 48 hours before filling a prescription ? a finding that could help curb unnecessary use of antibiotics.
Ref. https://www.cbc.ca/story/health/national/20...infections.html
I'm not quite convinced on this one, I'm not denying that they may recover at the same time, but have the children that had no medication, suffered extra pain for nothing?
Ear ache is really horrible at the best of times, but I would prefer to at least give some pain killer to help the child control the pain.
The British Government are introducing a multi functional vaccination, that out of the 3 or 4 infections it is there to protect against in childhood, is ear infection.
This sounds like a better way to go (in my humble opinion) and hopefully one day they might totally eradicate the infection that affects so many young children.
I don't buy into this. Ear infections cause too much pain. I could never just sit by and not try to do something to ease the pain of a child with an ear infection. Untreated ear infections can result in hearing loss.
Rather off topic, but... LDS - I hope your's clears up quickly and you are soon pain free! |
I can see where they are coming from on this as I missed 72 days of kindergarten, 63 days of 1st grade, 41 days of 2nd grade, 36 days of 3rd grade and about days less per year until 6th grade when I only missed 4 days. I had tonsillitis and ear infections and usually they followed one after another. The old doctor that treated me believed that if God gave you tonsils that they must be good to keep, so unlike other doctors that were quick to remove your tonsils he kept mine...turns out to be a good move according to recent findings. However, I do agree with the responses and the article. As a result of my serious consumption of antibiotics throughout elementary school, I now find myself allergic to penicillin and that is really unfortunate. So, I agree with the article that we might want to curb the use of antibiotics for when we really need them. However, with the pain that you get and lack sleep from a ear infection, you definitely need a pain killer or reducer. So it might be more beneficial in the long run to just treat the pain and let the infection run its course (monitored to make sure it doesn't start improving in about 3-4 days). Then the antibiotics will work better on you latter in life when you might really need them... penicillin is out for me and that is unfortunate, because it is the best.
I am not sure having a penicillin allergy is worse then being deaf in my books. I have been allergic to penicillin whole life and manage very well.
Ear infection is very serious and I do not think deafness compares to any consequence in tonsil removal.
Here is a interesting side effect of having ones tonsils removed according to www.studyhealth.com.
QUOTE |
in the study who had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), before the surgery, half of them did not have it a year after their tonsils were removed. The question is how could we know which solution is better, alternative or tonsillectomy procedure? |
As I have not had a problem with being allergic to penicillin, it is not the typical issues that we probably have now that put us at more risk due to the allergy. It will be future situations that might occur later in life when we need a serious drug to attack infection and penicillin is still a champ there. Erythromycin is just not in the same ball park. For strept throat and staph (potentially deadly the old and very young), penicillin cannot be beat and if you are allergic to it there are choices, but not nearly as good. It is still the main cure for gonorrhea.
What doctors are fearing and seeing is the rise of multidrug resistant strains of infections that used to be easily eradicated by just a small hand full of antibiotics. It is becoming harder and harder to develope new antibiotics to treat these morphing infections. Tuberculosis has made a nice comback as of late and is stronger than ever due to its multidrug resistant status.
Am I saying stay away from drugs for ear infections until you are deaf? Of course not... But I can agree with the article, as a child that had roughly 5 to 15 ear infections a year through most of elementary school, that by the time my parents got me to the doctor and we got the drugs, I was already feeling better as soon as the painkillers hit. If they had a product that I could buy for just the ear pain, I would definitely go to that before heading to the doctor for some more meds that probably aren't going to get me better much faster than my own body.
When I am old and my immune system does not work as it did when I was 20 or 30 and almost never got sick, I am going to need the heavy hitters as far as antibiotics go. I get a staph infection from any medical procedure in the future and I am going to wish I could use penicillin as amoxycillin is just not quite as good. I am definitely not saying to reject getting meds, but I can see the point. The bacteria and viruses are getting smarter because they have seen the antibiotics too much and a few have survived the treatment and build immunity.
I am trying to find a few of the reports that suggested a benefit from keeping your tonsils, but there are just too many sites to plow through. I will keep trying.
Sounds like you are hitting the same as I did. The biggest reason for the tonsils is to keep your immune system stronger as far as have seen so far. I do agree drugs have been way over used not just in ear infections.
My parents used to does us with garlic code liver oil and all kinds of nastey stuff. It worked we were always the ones with the lowest sick times. We also were limited in drugs other then a pain killer if required as dad always believed in letting the body do its job. So if we got the flue it was cool water baths and loads of stinky foods and chicken broth. As adults we all have fared well, old age will be the real show, I do the same now with my children. My oldest lost 1.5 days last year due to appointments.
I do not think drugging a child continuously for ear infections that can be reduce by simple surgery is wise nor do I see why one should have to suffer with them as I know they are brutal. I had an infection once after swimming in a Toronto pool the water caused it.
Also continuous ear infections can be related to other issues. I grew up tonsils were pulled like teeth one infection ok twice or thrice they were out.
I will keep looking also Vincenzo as there had to be a reason for the change even if it was political.