The pediatrician's office that Katie Young takes her three children to has five doctors. She dreads those mornings when one of her children wakes up feverish and fussy and she calls in only to discover that the only pediatrician available is Dr. X.

"This doctor won't give antibiotics even if I can tell that my kid needs them," says Young, of Austin, Texas. "After three kids, I think I know a little bit about what's up with my own kids' health. I'm not the only parent that feels that way, either. We don't really understand why she has to drag everything out; it just takes longer for the kids to get better."

It's parents like Young that are going to be the tough sell now that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) have released their long-awaited new guidelines for ear infections.

These guidelines have been in the works for some time, and they are controversial simply because they suggest using pain relief rather than antibiotics in some cases – even if there is evidence of infection. As the chart below shows, these guidelines will be based upon both age and symptoms.

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