Ear Infections/more - Holistic Parenting Newsletter

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HPA Literature Review

Randall Neustaedter OMD

Ear Infections: Antibiotics Not Necessary

A landmark study published in Pediatrics has

shown that treating ear infections with

antibiotics has no benefit when compared to doing

nothing (McCormick 2005). In this study 223

children were divided into two groups. One group

received antibiotics, the other group received

only medicines for symptom relief. The study

sought to evaluate several outcomes including (1)

parent satisfaction with their child's care, (2)

resolution of symptoms, and (3) failure and

recurrence rate. The study was limited to

nonsevere ear infections. The severity was

determined by parents' perception of the severity

and by examination of the eardrum.

Results of the study were dramatic. Parent

satisfaction was equal in the two groups at both

12 days and 30 days after treatment. No

difference was observed between the two groups in

days of work or school missed, visits to doctors'

offices or emergency rooms, or number of phone

calls. There was no difference in the recurrence

rate by day 30, and no difference in the clinical

examination of the children's eardrums at day 30.

This study should finally prove that antibiotics

are not necessary or beneficial in the management

of nonsevere ear infections. Even when no

treatment was utilized there was no significant difference in outcome.

Holistic pediatrics, by contrast, employs several

forms of treatment that most practitioners would

agree do have a significant impact on ear

infections. Both homeopathic treatment and

Chinese herbal medicine offer valid and safe

forms of treatment. One double-blind clinical

study did show that homeopathy is more effective

than placebo in the treatment of acute ear

infections. This was a preliminary study with a

sample size of only 75 children, but the

demonstration of the effectiveness of homeopathic

treatment deserves recognition. There was a

statistically significant reduction in symptoms

after 24 hours with homeopathic treatment

compared to the placebo group, and fewer

treatment failures in the homeopathic group after

5 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks of follow-up. For

example, after 5 days the rate of treatment

failure in the homeopathic group was 19.4 percent

compared to 30.8 percent in the control group.

The authors of that study concluded that a

follow-up study with a larger treatment group

would be necessary to show statistically significant results.

To view articles about the holistic treatment of

ear infections, go to the HPA website articles section at www.hpakids.org.

McCormick DP, et al. Nonsevere acute otitis

media: a clinical trial comparing outcomes of

watchful waiting versus immediate antibiotic

treatment. Pediatrics June 2005; 115(6):1455.

s J, et al. Homeopathic treatment of acute

otitis media in children: a preliminary

randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric

Infectious Disease Journal Feb 2001; 20(2):177.

Watching the Doctors

Randall Neustaedter OMD

Modern technology may be bringing wonderful

advances to medical care, but some doctors are

not so happy with the possibilities it offers.

Parents typically record the births of their

babies to remember the moment and rejoice in

their happiness. Doctors, however, are viewing

those videos as possible threats to their own well-being.

Here is a comment published in Pediatrics, June 2005.

" Concerned that family videos of the birth of a

child could be used against them in medical

malpractice cases, doctors and hospitals are

limiting videotaping in delivery rooms. 'What

once used to be really fun and warm and cozy and

so forth is now a potential nail in the coffin

from a liability perspective,' said Dr.

, the president of the American Medical

Association and an obstetrician. Dr. does

not allow families to videotape the birth itself,

but they are free to record other events, such as

the mother's first moments with the child. "

Perhaps it is time that we routinely record all

surgeries and births on video. What do doctors

fear, that an actual visual record will provide

more reliable and damaging data for documenting

negligence than reliance on eyewitness testimony or the opinions of experts?

To view articles about natural birth and

midwifery, go to the HPA website articles section at www.hpakids.org

Holistic Pediatric Association

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Santa , CA 95404

707-237-5312

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