Welcome

Coping with ear infections may seem almost as routine as changing diapers. It's true, ear infections are one of the most common diseases in infants and children. But this is little consolation when you're up in the night with a 3-year-old crying in pain from an ear infection. As the parent, you're worried and perhaps frantic to fix it. But, aside from pain relief, there isn't one treatment choice that's best for every child.

Antibiotics are no longer routinely prescribed for acute otitis media. Doctors and parents are giving careful consideration before treating ear infections with antibiotics. Evidence has been building over the years showing most ear infections resolve on their own and antibiotics do little or nothing to speed the process. And, overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. The most important factor in treatment for ear infections is pain relief.

Whether your child has an occasional episode or suffers from frequent ear infections, you have decisions to make about the best treatment option. Consider the medical evidence along with your preferences and your child's condition.

Treatment

Your child's treatment decision depends on several factors including:

Your child's age
History of previous infections
Whether your child has any underlying medical problems

You and your doctor are partners in the care of your child. Carefully consider all options and their implications for your child as well as what's important to you. The information presented here can help you decide which treatment is best for your child and for you.

In this guide, you'll hear directly from parents who have made different choices for their children as well as from a practicing pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. This guide also offers some questions and answers to help you in your decision-making process.

It takes about an hour or more to go through this information in sequence by following the links at the end of each page. This guide provides context for your decisions and helps you understand your child's treatment options and the pros and cons for each.

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