Children Receive Fewer Antibiotics

Ttimes3

Although there is still room for improvement, this makes me happy. It drives me bananas when pediatricians push antibiotics, (seemingly) just to appease parents who want an Rx to "cure" their child.

https://www.babycenter.com/204_children-receiving-fewer-antibiotics-cdc-reports_10357182.bc?scid=preschooler_20110906:2&pe=MlV4aEdnZ3wyMDExMDkwNg

Tue, Sep 6, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. pediatricians are prescribing fewer antibiotics to children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Since the early 1990s, there's been a 10 percent drop in antibiotic prescription rates for children 14 and younger, according to a CDC study released Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

Larger declines were seen in the use of antibiotics to treat colds and sore throats, but there was little change in the use of antibiotics for ear infections, the CDC found.

Even though they're ineffective against viral illnesses, antibiotics are often used in such cases. This type of misuse can result in bacterial resistance to antibiotics, the AP reported.

 

johnandkristin

It surprises me that there are pediatricians out there that would prescribe an antibiotic just to appease parents. If it's viral, it just has to run its course.

Also, this is just out of curiosity, are there parents out there that wouldn't want an antibiotic for their child, even if they knew it would help their child get better (ie ear infection)?

 

Ttimes3

johnandkristin:

It surprises me that there are pediatricians out there that would prescribe an antibiotic just to appease parents. If it's viral, it just has to run its course.

Shocking, huh?

johnandkristin:

Also, this is just out of curiosity, are there parents out there that wouldn't want an antibiotic for their child, even if they knew it would help their child get better (ie ear infection)?

Personally, yes. We have refused antibiotics for an ear infection. Oftentimes, it's very hard (if not impossible) for doctors to differentiate between bacterial and viral ear infections (AOM vs. OME). Of course, if the ear infection is viral in nature/onset, the antibiotics aren't going to do a lick of good. That said, we usually try to treat ear infections with pain medication, first, before opting to use antibiotics.

https://www.aap.org/healthtopics/earinfections.cfm

..."In May 2004, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) jointly released the first national clinical practice guideline on appropriate diagnosis and treatment for AOM. The guideline outlines steps for more accurate diagnosis, encouraging pain relief, reducing antibiotic-related adverse effects, and targeting antibiotics for children likely to receive the most benefit."...

 

johnandkristin

Thanks for your input, TTT.  I am, admittedly, very uneducated about ear infections. I always thought that if your child had an ear infection, and it wasn't treated, it could affect their hearing. So far, Annabelle has been my only one to get an ear infection, and she's only had 2, ever. I do recall her pedi saying something about ear infections being hard to diagnose, and I found that a little weird.

Thanks for the information