They are reluctant to treat otitis media aggressively, as it should be treated, b/c of the publicity surrounding that study which showed that many cases did OK untreated. HOWEVER, my argument is, were those cases actually diagnosed properly in the first place?? Was all wax removed so that the eardrum could be visualised? Was a pneumatic otoscope used? Or did someone just look in & say, yep, looks red & bulgy. Which is NOT a definitive diagnosis.
A very, very good paed whom I knew about 10 years ago told me that the child has to be seen immediately, started on amoxil. Then you recheck in 3 days. If not cleared up, then you have a choice of 2 antibiotics, and recheck in 3-5 days. If still not cleared, then you have to go to a heavy hitter, one of those one-a-day (non-PBS probably) antibiotics. He told me in no uncertain terms that there was NO ear infection which could not be properly killed!
As an adult, and your kids will probably have to do the same, I'm very careful if I ever get a cold. It's worth it to use an OTC product when a cold starts to try to dry up some of the discharge, or at the least to keep it running freely. Personally I think some of us have very very short Eustachian tubes. Then, as soon as I get the first niggle of an ear infection, I call or race in to be seen. In that way you can avoid perforations. The ENT told me that most perfs are from a strep infection in the ear. They come on very, very quickly so it's even more important to act right away for those. My last perf was when I was 26. We were out to dinner with friends & I felt it start. I swallowed the first erythromycin 3 hours later but it was already too late. Also, I've found that if I don't feel nearly 100% better 24 hours after the first dose, it will clear after a week, but will recur within 6 weeks. Early action is the key.
About the god complex...he is SO like that. I purposely said nothing about his personal attributes, but GAG. We used to joke about it, "Saw him putting the bins out & he looked at me," or "guess what, he said hello to me today."
OK, off my hobby horse now. Need to investigate why son 2 hasn't come down for breakfast...