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UPDATE!!!
I have published the following article before but decided to repeat it since reading a very interesting article in the August / September Nature & Health Magazine confirmed my concerns and believes about antibiotics and ear infections and even asthma.
Here is some of what they had to say:
" Children prescribed antibiotics are more than twice as likely as untreated kids to develop asthma. And multiple courses of antibiotics bump up the risk even higher - 16 per cent for every course taken."
"A number of well-designed studies and detailed analyses have demonstrated that there were no significant differences in the clinical course of acute ear infections between chilldren treated with antibiotics or given a placebo."
If you have children who get frequent colds I urge you to get a hold of the magazine and read the article!
Here is my humble article. I hope you'll enjoy it as much the second time around!
 Middle ear infections in children
Acute respiratory infections are responsible for 4.8% of all presentations in Australian general practice. Acute otitis media (middle ear infection) comprises 1.3% of total general practice presentations and 8% of children's problems. It is the most common reason for febrile children under the age of 4 years to present to the general practitioner. (1) The classical story is of sudden distress, fever and pain in the ear following a minor upper respiratory infection.
Antibiotics for acute otitis media
Treatment with antibiotics is the usual method of managing acute otitis media in Australia. However, Antibiotic treatment is not universal. In Holland, for instance, most general practitioners do not use antibiotics routinely when treating middle ear infections. Australia, on the other hand,has one of the highest rates of antibiotic use in the world! (2)
Questionable benefits
Benefits for the use of antibiotics have been difficult to demonstrate consistently. (3) Recent double-blind trials show that short-term symptoms (crying, as a measure of pain) may be shortened by about a day. Long-term effects, in particular the resolution of middle ear fluid, are however unchanged.
Increased recurrence and organ damage
In her book 'Poisonous Prescriptions' author Lisa Landymore-Lim explores the possibility that drug therapy may alleviate the condition in the short-term, but that it may damage body organs in the process, possibly leading to recurrence of some conditions at a later date. (4)
Landymore-Lim follows this up with quoting Schmidt, Smith and Sehnert from their book 'Beyond Antibiotics', who state that "Children treated with amoxicillin for earaches suffered 2-6 times more recurrent infections" and "Children treated with antibiotics for streptococcal tonsillitis suffered 2-8 times more recurrence". (5)
She also states that about 300 drugs can be toxic to the ears, including ampicillin, amoxycillin and erythromycin, and can lead to hearing loss! (6)
The usefulness of paracetamol and decongestants
Other studies suggest that paracetamol is effective in reducing fever and pain, however, decongestants and antihistamines have not been shown to confer benefit. (7) (Please note: 'Fever' is not necessarily a bad thing and actually serves to support the body's immune respons. The routine dispensing of paracetamol may not be benefitial)
Most children I have seen in my clinic have taken repeated prescriptions of antibiotics for ear, nose and throat problems and despite this they simply don't seem to improve.
Their mothers often are at their wits end and admit exploring naturopathy as a last resort.
Looking at their pale looking offspring I am glad that they have finally made it into my clinic, but I can't help wishing that they had come earlier. Neither their children nor themselves needed to have suffered for as long as they have.
Recently the mother of one of my young patient's commented that her doctor had asked how her little boy was since he hadn't seen him for so long!
If you would like to explore options to antibiotics and help your child's immune system fight those nasty infections with natural means then contact  me to make an appointment, sooner rather than later!
Click here to find out about the complementary children's appointments on Monday afternoons.
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References:
1.Bridges-Webb C, Britt H, Miles DA, Neary S, Charles J, Trayneor V. Morbidity and treatment in general practice in Australia 1990-1991. Med J Aust 1992;157(Suppl):1S-56S.
2. Harvey K. Antibiotic use in Australia. Aust Prescr 1988;11:74-7.
3. Bollag U, Bollag-Albrecht E. Recommendations derived from practice audit for the treatment of acute otitis media [see comments]. Lancet 1991;338: 96-9. Comment in: Lancet 1991;338:882.
4. Landymore-Lim L. Poisonous Prescriptions.West Australia 6008,1994; p.141
5. Landymore-Lim L. Poisonous Prescriptions.West Australia 6008,1994; p.143
6. Landymore-Lim L. Poisonous Prescriptions.West Australia 6008,1994; p.142
7. Kinmonth AL, Fulton Y, Campbell MJ. Management of feverish children at home. Br Med J 1992;305:1134-6.
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