Here's a secret.  Many ear infections which are diagnosed aren't ear
infections at all.  Some physicians diagnose ear infections when they
see a child with a cold or fever.  So much easier to give antibiotics
than to explain that the child has a virus which will get better by
itself.  Many physicians, I fear, don't even know how to look properly
at a child's ear drum.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC (afraid the sky will fall in by my saying the
above)