FW: CDC and AAP guidelines on OM
CAL/AAEM News Service
pottsbri@yahoo.com
Mon, 16 Jun 2003 11:56:52 -0700 (PDT)
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Physicians Advised To Delay Use of Antibiotics for Earaches to Deter Resistance
06/09/2003
The <http://www.aap.org/> American Academy of Pediatrics and the <http://www.cdc.gov/> CDC have developed new guidelines that advise physicians to delay prescription of antibiotics for two to three days for many children with earaches to help reduce antibiotic resistance, the <http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/living/health/6041734.htm> Cox/Contra Costa Times reports. Physicians write about 10 million prescriptions for antibiotics each year for children with earaches, which accounts for almost half of all antibiotic use among preschool children. Most earaches are caused by viral, not bacterial, infections, and 81% heal without medication, according to the <http://www.ahcpr.gov/> Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. According to the new guidelines, physicians should:
* Wait two to three days before they prescribe antibiotics for children older than six months without certain diagnosis of an ear infection;
* Prescribe antibiotics for children older than two years with ear infections for five days, rather than seven to 10 days;
* Immediately prescribe antibiotics for children younger than six months with earaches;
* Immediately prescribe antibiotics for children younger than two years with certain diagnosis of an ear infection; and
* Immediately prescribe antibiotics to children between six months and two years without certain diagnosis of an ear infection but with a fever higher than 102 degrees or severe ear pain.
Physicians may write prescriptions for antibiotics and advise parents to wait two to three days before they administer them. In addition, physicians may also ask parents to call in orders for antibiotics over the telephone, or return for follow-up visits. Physicians also should recommend over-the-counter pain medications to treat earaches in children, Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Long Island College Hospital, said. "You're not getting a lot of bang for your antibiotic buck with this disease," Rosenfeld, who has helped with the development of the new guidelines, added. "Parents often have the expectation that their child is sick and needs an antibiotic to get well, and some really put the pressure on. But now we can say, 'It's not just me. It's the CDC and the Academy of Pediatrics,'" Atlanta pediatrician Dr. Gerald Reisman said. The Academy of Pediatrics will launch a "watchful waiting" campaign to promote the new guidelines nationwid!
e this
fall (Wahlberg, Cox/Contra Costa Times, 6/8).
Brian Potts
Managing Editor, CAL/AAEM News Service
MS-IV, UC-Irvine
---------------------------------
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<DIV><FONT size=2>
<P></P>
<P>Physicians Advised To Delay Use of Antibiotics for Earaches to Deter Resistance </P>
<P>06/09/2003 </P>
<P>The <</FONT><A href="http://www.aap.org/"><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>http://www.aap.org/</U></FONT></A><FONT size=2>> American Academy of Pediatrics and the <</FONT><A href="http://www.cdc.gov/"><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>http://www.cdc.gov/</U></FONT></A><FONT size=2>> CDC have developed new guidelines that advise physicians to delay prescription of antibiotics for two to three days for many children with earaches to help reduce antibiotic resistance, the <</FONT><A href="http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/living/health/6041734.htm"><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>http://www.bayarea.com/mld/cctimes/living/health/6041734.htm</U></FONT></A><FONT size=2>> Cox/Contra Costa Times reports. Physicians write about 10 million prescriptions for antibiotics each year for children with earaches, which accounts for almost half of all antibiotic use among preschool children. Most earaches are caused by viral, not bacterial, infections, and 81% heal without medica!
tion,
according to the <</FONT><A href="http://www.ahcpr.gov/"><U><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>http://www.ahcpr.gov/</U></FONT></A><FONT size=2>> Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. According to the new guidelines, physicians should:</P>
<P>* Wait two to three days before they prescribe antibiotics for children older than six months without certain diagnosis of an ear infection; </P>
<P>* Prescribe antibiotics for children older than two years with ear infections for five days, rather than seven to 10 days; </P>
<P>* Immediately prescribe antibiotics for children younger than six months with earaches; </P>
<P>* Immediately prescribe antibiotics for children younger than two years with certain diagnosis of an ear infection; and </P>
<P>* Immediately prescribe antibiotics to children between six months and two years without certain diagnosis of an ear infection but with a fever higher than 102 degrees or severe ear pain. </P>
<P>Physicians may write prescriptions for antibiotics and advise parents to wait two to three days before they administer them. In addition, physicians may also ask parents to call in orders for antibiotics over the telephone, or return for follow-up visits. Physicians also should recommend over-the-counter pain medications to treat earaches in children, Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, a pediatric ear, nose and throat specialist at Long Island College Hospital, said. "You're not getting a lot of bang for your antibiotic buck with this disease," Rosenfeld, who has helped with the development of the new guidelines, added. "Parents often have the expectation that their child is sick and needs an antibiotic to get well, and some really put the pressure on. But now we can say, 'It's not just me. It's the CDC and the Academy of Pediatrics,'" Atlanta pediatrician Dr. Gerald Reisman said. The Academy of Pediatrics will launch a "watchful waiting" campaign to promote the new guidelines nation!
wide this
fall (Wahlberg, Cox/Contra Costa Times, 6/8). </P></FONT></DIV><BR><BR><STRONG>Brian Potts <BR>Managing Editor, CAL/AAEM News Service</STRONG> <BR>MS-IV, UC-Irvine<p><hr SIZE=1>
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