Advice: When Child Need Antibiotics?, When Can Antibiotics Harm Child?

“Aura has got 102 temperature”, informed Mom while we were relishing a late Sunday afternoon lunch. We rushed home, checked the temperature and the speculation started of what might be the underlying cause of her temperature. Also, our perennial fight started where I wanted to rush to the doctor as soon as possible whereas hubby dear wanted to wait on it. Aura would be missing her school, I will be struggling to work from home until she gets ok and that made me impatient to get life back to normalcy and be over with this bout of sickness. Our visit to the doctor will mostly result in a prescription of antibiotics. It’s a doctor’s dilemma as well - to prescribe or not to prescribe antibiotics, if they ask to wait for three days and then prescribe antibiotics, parents would abuse them for making their child suffer without prescribing proper medication at first visit.

So, what am I trying to convey? The fact that antibiotics are not a cure for everything and will not treat viral fever. People think antibiotics can always provide instant relief from fever and is the quickest way out to cure illness. The perils of antibiotics are unknown to most of us.
 

When Can Antibiotic Resist You from Diseases?

Incorrect and unbridled use of antibiotics is fuelling a massive problem for our and future generations - “Antibiotic resistance” or “bacterial resistance”. Usually, antibiotics kill bacteria or stop them from growing. However, some bacteria have become resistant to some types of antibiotics. This means that the antibiotics no longer work against them. Bacteria become resistant more quickly when antibiotics are used too often or are not used correctly (such as not taking a full course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor).

Bacteria that are resistant to one antibiotic can sometimes be treated with other antibiotics. These other medicines may have to be given intravenously (through a vein) in a hospital. A few kinds of bacteria are resistant to all antibiotics and are now untreatable. Colds and many other infections of the upper respiratory tract, plus some ear infections, are not caused by bacteria, but by viruses. Antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria, still many children and adults are too often being given antibiotics for colds and other viral infections.

When Can Antibiotics Cause Problems or Side-effects

Colds, most sore throats, acute bronchitis infection, and many sinuses or ear infections are viral and will not be helped by antibiotics. Instead, this is what is more likely to happen:

• The infection will not be cured.
• Other people will still get sick.
• You or your child will not feel better.
• You or your child may experience unnecessary and harmful side effects.

People should not press for antibiotics if their doctor says they don't need them, and also not to take antibiotics prescribed for someone else. Not only can using someone else's prescribed drug be wrong for the illness that you or your child have, taking the wrong medication can delay correct treatment and allows bacteria to multiply.
 

How Do You Know When Child Need Antibiotics?

The answer depends on what is causing your infection. The following are some basic guidelines:

Colds and flu - Viruses cause these illnesses. They can't be cured with antibiotics.
Cough or Bronchitis - Viruses almost always cause these. However, if you have a problem with your lungs or an illness that lasts a long time, bacteria may actually be the cause. Your doctor may decide to try using an antibiotic.
Sore Throat - Most sore throats are caused by viruses and don't need antibiotics. However, strep throat is caused by bacteria. Your doctor can determine if you have strep throat and can prescribe an antibiotic.
Ear Infections - There are several types of ear infections. Antibiotics are used for some (but not all) ear infections.
Sinus Infections - Antibiotics are often used to treat sinus infections. However, a runny nose and yellow or green mucus do not necessarily mean you need an antibiotic. Read more about treating sinusitis.

Common Observation You Must Aware of  

Experience tells that if the patient is active during infection and has a proper appetite it is most likely a viral infection. You can wait on it for 2-3 days and visit your doctor if it still persists. Sometimes children get high temperatures (103 and higher), at those times an immediate visit to a doctor is required.

Inappropriate use of antibiotics is not only about taking them when they are not needed. It is also a problem when patients have prescribed them for the right reason but then take them incorrectly. So if you are prescribed an antibiotic, you should not skip doses, and definitely not save it for next time. If you or your child has an upper respiratory tract infection, you should:

• Increase fluid intake and take plenty of rest.
• Relieve congestion with a saline nasal spray or a cool-mist vaporizer.
• Use home remedies like – hot soup, warm water, gargles with warm salt water, ginger honey, honey-lemon tea, turmeric milk and the good old “kadha” really helps to manage viral infections and minimize the associated suffering.

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