WASHINGTON – A child in pain with an earache is a pain for everyone, and most parents are ready and willing to give them antibiotics.
But a new study indicates that may not be the best idea.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said Monday that in some cases, children older than 6 months shouldn’t be given antibiotics as a first method of fighting the infection, reports.
The reason is to “preserve the healing power of antibiotics by using them judiciously in kids who benefit most,” Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, a pediatric otolaryngologist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, tells NBC 草莓传媒.
Antibiotics should be given if the child has frequent ear infections, a fever above 102 degrees, pain for more than two days or a bulging ear drum.
In other cases, AAP advises giving children pain relievers first, based on their age — but never aspirin, NBC reports.
The full study and guidelines can be .
草莓传媒’s Veronica Robinson contributed to this report. Follow and on Twitter.
