Every year, up to 10 million American children risk adverse side effects from antibiotic drugs wrongly prescribed for conditions that cannot be helped with antibiotics. The overuse of these drugs is a major factor in rising resistance in several bacterial pathogens, rendering some antibiotic drugs close to useless.

Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guiding principles for doctors treating kids with troublesome ear infections, sinus infections and sore throats — ailments likely to provoke antibiotic treatment.

—Determine the likelihood of a bacterial infection. If the source of the ailment is viral, antibiotics won't work.

—Weigh benefits versus risks. Antibiotics can reduce symptoms and prevent complications of an infection, but they can also carry side effects and speed antibiotic resistance. "Many people have the misconception that since antibiotics are commonly used that they are harmless," notes Dr. Lauri Hicks of the CDC. "Taking antibiotics when you have a virus can do more harm than good." Plus, they can be expensive.

—Implement accurate prescribing strategies. Choose the appropriate antibiotic at the appropriate dosage for the shortest duration required. Antibiotics aren't fully effective if not taken for the entire time they're prescribed.

While the new guidelines are directed at physicians, parents should pay attention, too. Prudence now will pay off in the future. "Our medicine cabinet is nearly empty of antibiotics to treat some infections," says CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden. "If doctors prescribe antibiotics carefully, and patients take them as prescribed, we can preserve these lifesaving drugs and avoid entering a post-antibiotic era."

BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

Calcium is the most abundant metal in humans. (In its alkaline earth form, it's dull and gray-colored.) Calcium is so profuse in the body that after a cremation, calcium constitutes two pounds of the remaining ash, almost half of the total for an average-sized person.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

A classic, jumbo corndog (85 grams) contains 240 calories, 135 from fat. It has 15 grams of total fat or 23 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains 40 milligrams of cholesterol (13 percent); 510 milligrams of sodium (21 percent); 21 grams of total carbohydrates (7 percent); zero grams of dietary fiber; 7 grams of sugar; and 5 grams of protein.

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK

Scoleciphobia — fear of worms

NEVER SAY DIET

The Major League Eating speed-eating record for catfish is 7.5 pounds in 10 minutes, held by Patrick Bertoletti. Warning: Most of these records are held by professional eaters; the rest by people who really should find something better to do.

OBSERVATION

"You're thinking I'm one of those wise-ass California vegetarians who is going to tell you that eating a few strips of bacon is bad for your health. I'm not. I say it's a free country and you should be able to kill yourself at any rate you choose, as long as your cold, dead body is not blocking my driveway." — American cartoonist ("Dilbert") Scott Adams

CURTAIN CALLS

In 1945, while working on the Manhattan Project, scientist Harry K. Daghlian Jr. accidentally dropped a brick of tungsten carbide onto a sphere of plutonium (known as the demon core). The impact caused the plutonium to come to criticality. Daghlian subsequently died from the resulting radiation poisoning, becoming the first person to die in a criticality accident.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.