A provider has told a parent that a 3-year-old child has a minor ear infection and that an antibiotic would be prescribed in a couple of days if the child's symptoms worsened
The parent asks the nurse why the child cannot get an antibiotic today. Which response by the nurse is correct?
a. "If the eardrum ruptures, we can culture the fluid to determine which antibiotic is best."
b. "Most ear infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not effective."
c. "Most ear infections will resolve on their own without antibiotics."
d. "Your child will develop tolerance to antibiotics if they are prescribed too often."
ANS: C
The vast majority of acute otitis media (AOM) episodes resolve without treatment, so unless the child is very ill, observation is the initial choice. Spontaneous rupture of the tympanic membrane can occur, but clinicians do not wait for it to happen to obtain a culture that will guide treatment. About 70% to 90% of AOM episodes are bacterial in origin. Patients do not develop tolerance to antibiotic effects; overuse of antibiotics can lead to resistant organisms.
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