Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat Emergencies

Acute otitis media is the most common infection for which antibiotics are prescribed in children, resulting in more than 20 million antibiotic prescriptions annually. New practice guidelines published by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians call for the judicious use of antibiotics in view of increasing antibiotic resistance and the unclear necessity of the use of antibiotics in children with uncomplicated acute otitis media. This article reviews those guidelines, several other common ear, nose, and throat entities, including sinusitis and dental emergencies, and current strategies in diagnosis and treatment.