Quinolone Ear Drops Beat Generics

In swimmer's ear, the child complains of ear pain, but often you can't see the eardrum because the ear is so swollen.

The second-most frequent cause of otitis externa in children occurs among those with drainage from tympanostomy tubes or a perforated eardrum.

The third is trauma. Children—or their parents—may stick cotton swabs or bobby pins in the child's ear, perhaps in an attempt to remove wax, and end up abrading the canal. This kind of trauma can introduce bacterial contamination. Such practices should be discouraged.

I served as a one-time consultant to Floxin manufacturer Daiichi. I have no affiliation with Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp. or its subsidiary Alcon Laboratories Inc., the makers of Ciprodex.