<s>[INST] How Are Ear Infections Treated? [/INST] To treat an ear infection, health care providers consider many things, including:

the type and severity of the ear infection
how often the child has ear infections
how long this infection has lasted
the child's age and any risk factors
whether the infection affects hearing
The type of otitis affects treatment options. Not all kinds need to be treated with antibiotics. Because most ear infections can clear on their own, many doctors take a "wait-and-see" approach. Kids will get medicine for pain relief without antibiotics for a few days to see if the infection gets better.

Antibiotics aren't routinely prescribed because they:

won't help an infection caused by a virus
won't get rid of middle ear fluid
can cause side effects
usually don't relieve pain in the first 24 hours and have only a minimal effect after that
Also, overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which are much harder to treat.

If a doctor does prescribe antibiotics, a 10-day course is usually recommended. Kids age 6 and older who don't have a severe infection might take a shorter course for 5–7 days. If the infected ear is draining, antibiotic ear drops may be used as well.

Some children, such as those who get ear infections a lot and those with lasting hearing loss or speech delay, may need ear tube surgery. An ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor will surgically insert tubes (called tympanostomy tubes) that let fluid drain from the middle ear. This helps equalize the pressure in the ear. Source: KIDS HEALTH ORG. Link: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/otitis-media.html. Field: Otolaryngology. Disease: Ear Infection </s>