antibiotics for tonsillitis or let it run its course?

[papillonrouge]

GP says DS (13mo) has tonsillitis and prescribed antibiotics but said it is up to us whether we use them or not. She implied it is better for their immune systems if they can fight it off themselves. I am not at all anti-antibiotics and my instinct is to give him them asap so that he gets better more quickly. I fear that if we try to let him fight it off it could get worse/last longer. Anyone have experience with this?

[girrafey]

I am not an expert, and have no medical training. But my dd1 has had tonsillitus alot, and i personally at the first sign of it get her to the gp to get antibiotics. It lasts a good 7 days or so with them, so i dread how long/ how severe without.
I would say, depending on how ill your ds is. If lethargic, burning temp, barely taking fluids etc then i would give. If slightly off peak, but holding his own, then maybe leave it. Only you know how "ill" your ds is for him.
my dd2 for example had it once, but mild. we actually took her to docs over something else and didn't realise. So she didnt need antibiotics.
Everyone is different, but i would say he is very little, and if he is really ill then give them to him.

[mandoo]

Antibiotics it won't go by itself.

[ShatnersBassoon]

It will go by itself. I would try to gauge how much pain the child is in and how much it's affecting their swallowing etc before I gave antibiotics.

[papillonrouge]

Thanks all - we have decided to give them to him. He is really unwell and got worse throughout the day. Swallowing visibly painful. Poor little mite.

[RosinaCopper]

I'm pleased you have decided to give him the antibiotics. I tend to take the view that if it was me with the ear infection / sore throat, I'd start antibiotics if my gp prescribed them, so why wait with my dc?
My ds used to get recurrent tonsillitis, and we got referred to see about having them out (but we decided to wait, and he seems to have grown out of it, thank goodness!) I have only had it once, and it was excruciating - felt like there were shards of glass in my throat each time I swallowed!

[crazycarol]

I am a tonsillitis sufferer, I have had it on occasions when a simple painkiller like paracetamol is enough, but the last time I was in agony and couldn't swallow my saliva so I went to drs and got antibiotics.
Make sure you finish the course of antibiotics, and don't stop just because he starts feeling a little better.