Health Tip: Ear Infection May Not Need Antibiotic

But your child must be examined by a doctor

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(HealthDay News) - If your child has an ear infection, it's important to take the child to a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. The pediatrician will determine if the infection is bacterial or viral.

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Here are suggestions on how to treat your child's ear infection, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

• If the infection is bacterial, your doctor probably will prescribe an antibiotic.
• If the infection is viral, an antibiotic won't treat it, so prescribing one may be counterproductive.
• You can give your child a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don't give your child aspirin, unless the doctor says so.
• Apply a warm heating pad to the ear to relieve pain.
• The doctor may prescribe ear drops.

-- Diana Kohnle