Antibiotics or Not

[mammycool]

Hi Girls,

Just curious on your feelings on antibiotics. I have two small children – 1 and 3 in March. I have been very lucky in that they both have very good health. My DD I brought to the doctor for the 1st time last week. He prescribed an antibiotic but at the same time said that he did not think that she needed it and not to be rushing out and getting it.

This seems to be becoming the norm in this country – if the child is any way sick, go to the doctor and get an antibiotic. I decided not to get the antibiotic and herself was back to normal without it in a day or so.

My MIL drives me daft, with every cold, sniffle, etc, I am instructed that I should bring them to the doctor and get an antibiotic to stop them getting any worse.

I am a firm believer that children need to build up their own immune system and antibiotics are only used when the child is really ill and unable to fight it themselves. I believe that pumping them with antibiotics prevents this and in the long term you willend up with a child that is constantly sick and unable to fight it themselves.

I do understand that there are children with underlying health conditions which mean that they do need extra help but the normal baby / toddler should be able to get through a cold without intervention.

[Fabienne]

I also think that antibiotics are used too freely.
If it’s a cold, it’s viral, so antibiotics won’t work (it’s only for baterial infection) or if the patient has some underlying condition (just de prevent ,while body weak, to catch a bacterial infection).

Often gp prescribe antibiotics so you don’t have to come back if they’re needed.
And it’s up to the parents to decide.

I’ve been told to wait 3 days with temperature before giving antibiotics (unless there is some special condition). And let a chance to the healthy child to recover by himself.

But sometimes you have the feeling it’s more serious and can’t really wait to see how it will turn out.

So antibiotics are not evil but they are not sweets as well.
You should find a gp that will share that feeling.

Too many or not enough antibiotics can have some serious consequences.

Talk soon,
Fabienne

[MauraH]

I would agree antibiotics are far too widely used nowadays but its not all the gp’s fault. Most parents will demand an antibiotic when they go to the doc, they don’t want to pay 50/60 euro and be told its a viral infection & to come back in couple of days if it doesn’t clear. Also most gp’s so over busy these days they don’t have time to give ppl especially first time parents the time they need to be reassured about their children’s health.

Also parents who work outside of the home, sometimes the creche won’t take the kids in with colds etc so parents feel under pressure to medicate their children in order to get them back to creche etc. Children do need to build up their own immune system and are most are quiet well able to fight minor illness themselves with a bit of TLC. I’m very lucky that my daughter has always been healthy she probably has had 3-4 antibiotics in her 9yrs.

Antibiotics are one of the greatest things in our modern world but if we keep abusing them as we do they will not work as much to our benefit in the future.

So my advice would be when your child is sick hold off on the antibiotics for couple of days, lots of TLC and see how things will go. At the end of the day a mum knows her child best and you will know when your child really needs medical intervention.

Sorry I’ve rabbited on a bit….

Maura

[rossylisa]

My DD is 9 and has never been on one. When she has a cough or cold i use Vick’s in the soles of her feet and maybe a spoon of calpol usually clears up within a couple of days. I can actually count the amount of times she has been to a doctor ( excluding injections)
Ds is6 months and so far has been grand with his health. touch wood it lasts that long..

[Olwen]

Hey,

I’m the same as you. I don’t like giving Antibiotics. My husband would have her on them for every sniffle so it’s a battle. I went on hols for a weekend a few months ago and came back to her on antibiotics, sooo annoying. In some cases you have to but not just for colds and flues or else they’ll never have a good annum system. I use alternative medicine as much as i can.

[scole1]

well i think there are some cases that antibiotics are called for obviously, but my ds1 is 4.5 and touch wood he has had a total of 3 antibiotics, 1 for ear infection as a baby, one for a chest infection (caused by teething) and one for when he had a little operation on his down unders…..
ds2 who’s 13months touch wood has not had any so far and hoping it stays that way…

i do give them calpol if feeling inder the weather, give a cough mixture to the eldest, but rarely have to make doctors visits unless it’s really needed….but try and let it work out of their systems first, which i think helps build up the system, however there are kids who just get sick and need antibiotics, i know people who’s kids need at least one a winter…..

i don’t think though if my boys really needed an antibiotic would i refuse to give them one, afterall, it’s hard seeing your child sick and if they needed it well then obviously i’d give them one…

anyway here’s to healthy kids

[suzieQ]

Hey,
I have to say my doctor has never once prescribed antibiotics for my little one.
She is one but has got a constant string of viruses and sicknesses. At one stage had her in the doctor or hospital every 3 weeks with a new problem.
My doctor is very against antibiotics though which I am so thankful for. Her being a mother herself recommended organic treatments such as "All Seasons Complex" which has worked wonderfully.
She is a very considerate doctor and after 2 other doctors turning me down she sent us for tests in the hospital, A new unit call the PAU (peadatric assessment unit) which i cannot praise enough. It is brilliant. They got to the root of my daughters problems after sending for scans and xrays in less than a week.
If I had have been given antibiotics everytime we went up I would have been so wary about giving them but thankfully we werent!

[Taylor5]

The world is only 1 antibiotic away from a pandemic!!!

My ds1 has has 3 and ds2 has had 1 (but a shit load of other drugs including truck loads of steroids… not happy about that, but he needed them)
I find most colds and flu are viral and they dont respond to antibiotics, calpol and fluids are the only way to treat them.
Some things like ear infections, kidney infections etc need to be treated regardless how you feel about antibiotics… you couldnt see a child suffer, plus it could cause long term damage if not treated.
I you do need to give one for what ever reason, there is a BRILLIANT product called Restore. Its in powder form and you add to the childs drink or food for the days on the medication, it does what it says on the tin, it restores the bacteria balance in the gut
Antibiotics are a wonderful when used correctly, its the over use of them thats the problem

[Author]

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