Symptoms of Otitis Media

Very young children often cannot communicate well enough to tell you where it hurts. Look for the following symptoms:

* fever

* fussiness

* changes in appetite or sleeping patterns

* fluid (blood or pus) leaking from the ear

* hearing difficulty

* pulling or rubbing of the ears

See your child's doctor if you suspect that your child has an ear infection. Your child's doctor will examine your child's eardrums and may perform a hearing test or a test of middle ear function called a tympanogram. If your child's ears are infected, treatment can begin immediately. If they are not infected, your child's doctor will begin to consider other causes if there is evidence of hearing loss.

Virtually every parent has had experience with the pink liquid dosed out to infants and children to treat common childhood "bugs." What are these wonder antibiotics? Why do certain prescriptions seem to work better than others for your child? Can children develop immunities to antibiotics? Pediatrician J. Jordan Storlazzi, MD, of the duPont Hospital for Children staff, and Stuart Levine, Director of duPont's pharmacy answer these and other questions about antibiotic medications.

Types of Bacterial Illnesses Treated With Antibiotics

If a child experiences stomach pain, vomiting or skin rashes after taking an antibiotic, does it mean she is allergic to the medication?

Not necessarily. Gastrointestinal distress associated with antibiotics is not uncommon. Although the physician will usually discontinue a drug if it seems to be causing problems, the child may be able to take another drug in the same antibiotic family. Skin rashes need to be evaluated by the physician, but the same thing holds true. Another drug in the penicillin family, for example, may produce no side effects whatsoever.

Why is it necessary to take antibiotic medication for 10 days when it seems to have worked after just a day or two?

You want to be sure the bacteria's growth has been stopped. A child may get relief from a painful ear infection after only a few doses of the antibiotic. The initial doses "zap" the infection but don't eradicate it. The bacteria are reduced so much within the first day or two that the child feels better very quickly. However, the 10-14 day course of treatment is recommended because the bacteria have the propensity to replicate if they are not all destroyed. Finishing the prescription will help to ensure that all remnants of the infection are gone.

Why don't doctors seem to prescribe penicillin any longer?

Penicillin is useful in treating a much narrower spectrum of illnesses than in decades past. Today, only about 25 percent of bacterial infections respond to treatment with penicillin, so we prescribe it infrequently. Penicillin seems to be effective in treating strep infections. This is why we are constantly developing new drugs - because the new illnesses that are out there are becoming more and more resistant to existing medicines.

What's the Difference Between Sulfa Drugs, Penicillins, and Tetracyclines?

They are different classes of antibiotics produced in different ways. For example, some are cultured, others are grown naturally and then modified in some way. Still others are produced synthetically. The penicillin family of drugs is bactericidal, meaning they kill the bug that caused the infection. Others such as erythromycin and tetracycline stop the bacteria from multiplying, then the body's natural defenses kill it off.Some classes of antibiotics also have side effects associated with them. We don't prescribe tetracycline much for children because of its discoloring effect on teeth. Sulfa drugs (like Bactrim) make people very sensitive to sunlight. Parents should be especially cautious about exposing children who are taking sulfa medications to excessive sunlight. Exposure could result in a severe sunburn with minimal time in the sun.

Can Antibiotics Save My Child's Life?

Yes, antibiotics really are miracle drugs. Since the discovery of penicillin in the 1940s, millions of lives have been saved. Illnesses like strep infections and pneumonia, which used to be common causes of mortality, now rarely result in death, thanks to antibiotics.As pediatric health-care providers, our emphasis is on preventive health care. While penicillin and its descendants have saved millions, immunizations have saved many millions more. Smallpox has been completely eliminated; diseases like measles and whooping cough are being eradicated. Parents concerned with maintaining their children's health will not only want to seek prompt treatment for infections, but also to make sure their children get regular check ups and all their recommended immunizations.

*** OUR DIET AD SERIES: "STUPID-MAGIC! 30 ADS IN 30 DAYS." EVERY DAY IN AUGUST A NEW, STUPID DIET AD WAS EXAMINED AND RIDICULED. ***

WWW.CRANK.COM
WWW.WATERBONG.NET
WWW.METABABY.COM

The New Economy
BY STEVE DE SEVE

Videogames
COLLECTED BY TONY LEONARDO

Lion of Israel Goes Shopping
BY JEHUMSPHAT TROY

• • •

EMAIL • ABOUT • WHERE CAN I PARK MY CAR IN BROOKLYN? • ARCHIVES • SUBMISSIONS • DIET AD COLLECTION • COOL! MORE ART • FLASH-O-MATIC • TODD'S RAMBLINGS • REVIEWS • THE CROSSED WIRE • HOME