{"id":1671,"date":"2011-01-18T07:13:32","date_gmt":"2011-01-18T15:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.everhear.com\/?p=1671"},"modified":"2011-01-18T07:13:32","modified_gmt":"2011-01-18T15:13:32","slug":"new-ear-infection-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everhear.com\/new-ear-infection-study\/","title":{"rendered":"New Ear Infection Study"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tThis past week, The New England\u00a0Journal\u00a0of Medicine<\/a> released new research findings on the treatment methods for children (under 2 years of age) with ear infections. The study looked at the varying treatment methods in current medicine\u00a0which\u00a0include immediate antibotic treatment and the watch and wait approach. The researchers randomly assigned 291 children, 6 to 23 months, with acute otitis media (ear infections) to receive either antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulante) or a placebo for 10 days and measured the\u00a0children’s\u00a0symptomatic response rates. The study found that those children treated with the antibiotic had a reduction in\u00a0the time to resolution of symptoms. They also noted an overall reduction of symptom burden and the rate of persistent signs of acute infection on otoscopic examination.<\/p>\n

In one of the blogs we follow, Seattle Mama Doc<\/a>, Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson weighs in on her thoughts of the new study and the different approaches to treatment. She agrees that if the child has a true ear infection, that antibiotics are the right choice. However she encourages parents to push the doctor looking at the child’s ear to really examine the eardrum, as this is how they will\u00a0diagnose\u00a0if it is a true ear infection as an early ear infection or having fluid in the ear may not be the right time to give antibiotics.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips for parents she\u00a0recommends\u00a0should your child have a suspected ear infection…<\/p>\n

What To Do If Your Child Has A Suspected Ear Infection:<\/h2>\n