Infants: Making An Entrance

infant ear infections?

after 2 days of nonstop excessive crying… the doctor prescribed my 5 month old antibiotics for his first ear infection he has been congested pretty much since birth and has always been pukey.. but lately has been a lot worse. QUESTION: hes been on antibiotics for 3 days now and… is it normal for babies to have excessive vomitting and occasional diarrhea when they have ear infections/been on antibiotics for 3 days?

The vomitting and diarrhea is probably from the antibiotics

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1777.html

The trend, though, was more than 3 times as many spreading or complicated infections in those who got antibiotics. And, of course, those who got antibiotics were also far more likely to develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and other antibiotic side effects – all the while selectively breeding more resistant bacteria in that particular child, and in the environment. Whenever it’s appropriate to treat with pain relief rather than antibiotics, the choice is clear: No contest.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1775.html

The consensus, evidence-based 2004 guidelines recommend that children under 6 months of age with red hot ear infections should be treated with antibiotics for 10 days and pain relief for at least the first 24 hours, whether or not the diagnosis is certain. Remember, antibiotics do not help pain during the most painful first 24 hours, and help pain only minimally after that.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_1774.html

With garden-variety ear infections (what doctors call otitis media with effusion, or OME), germ-filled fluid is present in the middle ear. Most ear infections in children are OME. We’ve known for about a decade that antibiotics are not necessary for these vanilla ear infections (as I like to call them). In fact, it is perhaps even more important for these children to avoid antibiotics than it is for their peers, to avoid selectively breeding their most virulent bacteria. An acute ear infection (what doctors call acute otitis media, or AOM) can hurt like hell! These acute infections start abruptly, with the normally delicate eardrum becoming suddenly tender, red, hot, swollen, and painful – like an inflamed appendix. The ear may be filled with pus. The revolutionary 2004 AAP/AAFP ear infection guidelines teach us that even these red hot ear infections (as I like to call them) are often better treated without antibiotics! The body is usually able to kill and drain the infection on its own. But no wonder that soothing relief for the inflamed eardrum is such a priority in these guidelines. Something that is too often neglected.

Ear Infections – Do you always need antibiotics

Babyfacts (Paperback) $10.74 Ear infections need to be treated with antibiotics. Newborns and infants should be bathed daily. New parents are deluged with advice on how to care for their babies. This book explores common baby health myths–in areas such as feeding, sleeping, toile…