A new report urges medical practitioners to stop prescribing unnecessary antibiotics to children with respiratory infections.
About 10 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions are written every year. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report today, which asks doctors to use "stringent diagnostic criteria" when distinguishing between bacterial and viral infections, and AAP news release reported.
The report refers specifically to sinus infections, ear infections, and strep throat.
"This report is particularly timely as we enter the winter season, when many respiratory viruses commonly circulate," Mary Anne Jackson, MD, FAAP, a member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases and a lead author of the report, said. "By using these principles, physicians will be able to more appropriately diagnose and treat otitis media, sinusitis and strep pharyngitis."
New research suggests prescriptions of broad-spectrum antibiotics have increased, but many of them are suggested for ailments they cannot treat. Taking antibiotics too often can create resistances, which can make infections more difficult to treat.
The common cold is generally viral, and only lasts for about 10 days. In these cases physicians are recommended to treat the symptoms instead of turning to antibiotics.
Earlier this year a report gave physicians guidelines for diagnosing acute otitis media and bacterial sinusitis, which could help them determine when antibiotics are appropriate. The new guidelines could also help medical experts determine if the shortest-duration antibiotic course possible for each individual situation.
"This is an important resource that provides guidance for clinicians, and will help in communication with families to make the best use of antibiotics," Doctor Jackson said. "Physicians and parents are increasingly aware of the risk of antibiotics and the impact on growing antibiotic resistance rates
The clinical report is titled , "Principles of Judicious Antibiotic Prescribing for Bacterial Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatrics," and was published in the journal Pediatrics.
