I will occasionally call in an ATB over the phone but in very limited circumstances. I will, on the other hand, often come in late in the evening or on the weekend to look at a kid. I will discuss symptomatic treatment over the phone, will call in Auralgan and Tylenol for ear aches. An asthmatic with a fever and pain over the sinuses and an exacerbation of wheezing is much more likely to get antibiotics (and steroids) call in than an ear ache. Also, if I have a culture positive strep pharyngitis in a patient and a sibling develops a fever, sore throat, etc., in the next 2 days, I will sometimes rx over the phone. Vicki wrote: > > I usually DON'T call in abx over the phone. Have seen many kids c/o ear pain > without any ear infection. Pain likely from eustachian tube dysfunction or > some pressure in the ear from fluid. I have also been not rx'ng abx for > mildly injected ears on older kids who have minimal sx--as per current > recommendations. > Linda L. Shaw MD FAAP > Altoona PA >