American Academy of Pediatrics Banner AAP Bookstore AAP Web site search AAP Members Only Channel American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Pediatrics
HomeTable of ContentsVisual LibraryResourcesNewsSubscribeSearchContact usHelp
Red Book Online Logo    

Red Book Online Quick Search
Advanced Search


This Article
Right arrow Full Version
Services
Right arrow E-mail this link to a friend
Right arrow Related text in Red Book
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Appendices

The first 20% of the full text of this section appears below.

Section 4. Antimicrobial Agents and Related Therapy

APPROPRIATE USE OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS

Principles of Appropriate Use for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Approximately three fourths of all outpatient prescriptions for children are given for 5 conditions: otitis media, sinusitis, cough illness/bronchitis, pharyngitis, and nonspecific upper respiratory tract infection (the common cold). Physicians report that many patients and parents try to persuade them to dispense unnecessary antimicrobial agents. Children treated with an antimicrobial agent are at increased risk of becoming carriers of resistant bacteria, including S pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae. Carriers of a resistant strain who develop illness from that strain are more likely to have antimicrobial therapy failure. In some conditions, such as otitis media with effusion, observation without antimicrobial therapy is recommended, and in other conditions such as the common cold or cough, antimicrobial therapy is not indicated. The following principles, with detailed supporting evidence, were published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify clinical conditions for which antimicrobial therapy could be curtailed without compromising patient care. 1

Otitis Media


Related text in Red Book:

Group A Streptococcal Infections

Red Book 2006: 610-620. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections

Red Book 2006: 468-470. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Red Book 2006: 498-520. [Extract] [Full Version]  








HomeTable of ContentsVisual LibraryResourcesNewsSubscribeSearchContact usHelp

Site Requirements | Privacy Policy | Core Values, Vision, and Mission Statement
The recommendations in this online publication do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
Copyright © 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics Highwire Press Logo