Antibiotics in childhood acute otitis media.

The article discusses the effectiveness of antibiotics in childhood acute otitis media. Physicians often prescribe antibiotics for the condition to children despite its relatively restricted effect in treating the common condition. A recent study showed that antibiotics were beneficial for treating bilateral acute otitis media in children less than 2 years of age. Some people are concerned that reducing the use of antibiotics in treating acute otitis media could lead to mastoiditis, a rare complication that is associated with the illness. However, the research has shown no cases of mastoiditis to have occurred within the group of observed patients.