I was a little disturbed by a thread here that aluded to calling the doctor for an antibiotic prescription for ear infection - the child not being examined by a doctor. "Screaming kid" is not a good indication for an antibiotic.
Then a coworker (another nurse!!!!) told me that she did just about the same thing recently. I was shocked.
Folks, please take antibiotic use seriously.Many (possibly most?) kids do not need antibiotics for ear infections .
This is a layperson's article about ear infections that talks about resistent bacteria. LINK .
Superbugs (drug resistent bacteria) stem from use and overuse of antibiotics. Essentially, you and I live with bacteria everyday. In fact, they help us live. When you are exposed to antibiotics for the "bad bacteria" --- if it leaves any bad bacteria behind it will be the very strong ones. Guess what - you leave the strong bacteria behind and when they divide and multiply - they only create the very strong (superbugs or drug resistent kind).
It is a real possibility that if we keep on overusing antiobiotics that there is a danger of all but the most toxic antibiotics will be obsolete. This is already happening in the sickest of hospital patients and it will not take long to trickle down to the general public. Actually, it is already starting to show up in children.
If you all happen to have MDs that prescribe abtibiotics over the phone (except in very unusual or life threatening situations) you might need to shop for a new doctor
Yes, the MD has to thnk about potential hearing loss in your child. How much infection is too much. A good physician will also care what superbugs he may create and how that may eventually harm your child and society. Believe me, if your child does develop a "superbug", the strong antiobiotic toxicities of the drugs needed to treat "superbugs" makes mild hearing loss from an ear infection look like a walk in the park.
This has been a public service anouncement.
Then a coworker (another nurse!!!!) told me that she did just about the same thing recently. I was shocked.
Folks, please take antibiotic use seriously.Many (possibly most?) kids do not need antibiotics for ear infections .
This is a layperson's article about ear infections that talks about resistent bacteria. LINK .
Superbugs (drug resistent bacteria) stem from use and overuse of antibiotics. Essentially, you and I live with bacteria everyday. In fact, they help us live. When you are exposed to antibiotics for the "bad bacteria" --- if it leaves any bad bacteria behind it will be the very strong ones. Guess what - you leave the strong bacteria behind and when they divide and multiply - they only create the very strong (superbugs or drug resistent kind).
It is a real possibility that if we keep on overusing antiobiotics that there is a danger of all but the most toxic antibiotics will be obsolete. This is already happening in the sickest of hospital patients and it will not take long to trickle down to the general public. Actually, it is already starting to show up in children.
If you all happen to have MDs that prescribe abtibiotics over the phone (except in very unusual or life threatening situations) you might need to shop for a new doctor
Yes, the MD has to thnk about potential hearing loss in your child. How much infection is too much. A good physician will also care what superbugs he may create and how that may eventually harm your child and society. Believe me, if your child does develop a "superbug", the strong antiobiotic toxicities of the drugs needed to treat "superbugs" makes mild hearing loss from an ear infection look like a walk in the park.
This has been a public service anouncement.
