Just about every child has at least one ear infection and certain kids seem to have them with great regularity. Just about all these children are treated with antibiotics some with many courses of different antibiotics.
Recent educational campaigns describing the dangers of overuse of antibiotics have been effective. Not only are doctors prescribing less antibiotics, they are finding that patients are asking for antibiotics less often.
The danger of overuse of antibiotics is that it will cause bacteria to become resistant. When resistance occurs, the bacteria mutate in such a way that a specific antibiotic no longer kills them. It's important to remember that it's the bacteria, not the person, that develops resistance to an antibiotic.
Cultures are rarely taken when a child has an ear infection. Rather, the doctor makes a "good guess" based on the child's history of ear infections, what's worked in the past, the local patterns of bacterial resistance, and other factors. If one drug doesn't work, then another is tried.
One indication of the overuse of antibiotics leading to bacterial resistance is found in the ears of children with recurrent ear infections. Cultures taken from these children are more likely to grow bacteria resistant to one or more antibiotic than cultures from children with no history of multiple infections.
Some doctors now advise against treating every child with an ear infection immediately with antibiotics. Given a few days, many of these children recover with no adverse outcomes. There are doctors who believe that children who are not treated tend to have fewer subsequent ear infections.
There's no question that antibiotics are great drugs that save lives. However, overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance, turning what used to be an easily treated infection into a life-threatening one.2699
Family Practice News, 9/15/03
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