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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to send ds to preschool when on antibiotics?

18 replies

jigglebum · 29/03/2011 09:41

DS has had a horrible cough for over a week (like half the population I know) but now also has a chest infection. DH does not like DS having antibiotics. I have some sympathy with this line but I took him to the doctor yesterday morning and she confirmed a chest infection and gave him a short course of antibiotics. I thought it would help clear it up quicker so he had 3 doses yesterday.

Tuesday mornings he goes to preschool for 3 hours. He seemed well this morning (if still coughing ) and I asked him if he wanted to go - he was keen (he loves it) and so we got ready to go. About ten mins before we left DH says - "hes not going to preschool is he - he can't go if he is ill enough to be on antibiotics"

Anyway it ended up in a big row (actually more on DHs part then mine - he got very angry, way out of proportion I would say and frightened DS with his shouting) DH accused me of lazy parenting - stuffing him full of drugs and dumping him at preschool. I took DS to preschool anyway and told one of his keyworkers about his cough and they did not seem to bothered and DS was really happy to be there.

But, despite having been completely over the top in his reaction DH does have a point - would you take your DC to nursery, school, preschool when on antibiotics, even if they seem well enough?

I am off to paint whilst he is at preschool as we are renovating the house so will check responses inbetween coats!

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 29/03/2011 09:44

Would your husband go into work if he was on AB's? Of course he would.

He is being an arse.

cantspel · 29/03/2011 09:47

Your oh sounds a real charmer and i see nothing wrong with a child going to school if they are on antibiotics as long as they are happy to take him.

Original poster

jigglebum · 29/03/2011 09:48

He wouldn't take AB on principle squeakytoy but you have a good point!

OP posts:

nethunsreject · 29/03/2011 09:52

yanbu

cantspel · 29/03/2011 09:53

never take antibiotics????? what if he had something really nasty like a strep infection, would he rather die than take a few AB tablets?

FabbyChic · 29/03/2011 09:54

People go to school/work/college all the time whilst on anti-biotics. Make sure he takes the whole dose not just stop because he seems better.

I'd send mine whilst on medication and why not, if they are well enough to go go they should.

Your husband is being unreasonable.

TechnoKitten · 29/03/2011 09:55

I wouldn't let mine go for the first 48h of antibiotics, sorry (ages 4&3). The kindy has a rule of no child there if they've had a high temp within the previous 24h and if mine are ill enough to need antibugs they're spiking temps or will have done.

I'm with your husband on this - a sick child should not be at a kindy, nursery or preschool. After 48h antibugs they're generally on the mend and are less infectious so I'm happy for them to go if nursery are ok with it.

Original poster

jigglebum · 29/03/2011 10:09

TechnoKitten - DS temps have not been high since Sat am but will admit to having sent him to preschool within 24 hours of a high temp before. I figure if they seem well enough to go then they generally are. Perhaps he did not need to ABs but doctor seemed to think it would help clear the chest infection and stop it getting worse. The ABs are for the secondary bacterial chest infection not the virus that caused the cough/cold and so it was actually last week at preschool he was infectious probably.

OP posts:

PlasticLentilWeaver · 29/03/2011 10:19

Exactly jiggle - last week he would have been far more infectious. Secondary bacterial infections don't spread child to child like that. I'd send him.

Hope your DH doesn't look for sympathy when he is made much more sick by his refusal to take antibiotics. Sure, overuse is to be avoided but they are the best discovery of the 20th century IMO.

ShowOfHands · 29/03/2011 10:24

I'd take issue with him shouting about this so much he upset your child.

Of course a child on ABs can go to preschool for 3 hours. If he's well, happy and able to go and the preschool are aware of the situation and happy to accept him, then it's a good thing for him.

I'd have a chat with your DH about where his ideas are coming from. Why is he so set against them? Why does he think you can't go to preschool when taking them? And what is he frightened will happen? I very rarely ever consent to ABs and dd has had them once (very nasty ear infection) so I'm not a serial abuser/pusher but they have a place. And thank God because they've changed mortality rates dramatically.

iamthere · 29/03/2011 10:24

Your DH sounds lovely . Shouting at you in front of your child? THAT'll make him feel better.

I go by the common-sense verdict of if they seem well enough, are not puking or have diarrhoea, don't have a temperature and seem happy to go, then send them. The antibiotics will be working already.

And people that don't take medication 'on principle' really annoy me, but that's another thread! So he'd rather be ill? and make everyone else miserable? And be sick for longer so that you have to pick up more slack and he's off work for longer? Crazy. I do agree that ABs are over-used and over-prescribed sometimes, but they also nip things in the bud that can become fatal.

TechnoKitten · 29/03/2011 10:40

Um. Yes, secondary bacterial infections can spread from child to child. With coughing, which the OP mentions her son was still doing.

A child with pneumonia should be at home.

Antibugs don't work on viruses - if they were to prevent a secondary infection rather than treat it then the story is different.

I still hold to my view that preschool is not the appropriate place for a child with a bacterial chest infection.

I am not commenting on your husband's behaviour as that is not the question you asked.

saffy85 · 29/03/2011 10:46

Your husband is an arse. He didnt need to shout and upset your DS like that. I have sent my DD to nursery while on antibiotics (ear infections, lots of them) but only if she's otherwise well- not got a temperature and not puking or in need of calpol for pain relief (not allowed to send them if they need calpol for anything).

peeriebear · 29/03/2011 10:53

I go by how my child is feeling (if she is not infectious obv). If she wants to go and is not clingy/weepy then yes, I'd take her because she loves nursery. I took her once when she had an alarming head to toe spotty rash... She had reacted to red sweets!
Not taking ABs on principle is frankly stupid. I had a terrible chest infection while pg/bfing DD2 and it got so bad that I needed weapons-grade ABs to shift it. Because of it I can no longer play rugby or go jogging :( it was delaying the Abs because of pregnancy then bfing that did the damage.

Original poster

jigglebum · 29/03/2011 10:56

Thanks for the responses so far. Agree DH was an arse for making such a big thing about it - not sure why really. I think it was because he felt I was not listening to him re his ABs position. I was - I have heard it many times, but he is not medically trained and does not have any real evidence to back up his arguments. He just thinks it is best that the body fights infection/illness itself and that makes the immune system stronger. this is to the extent that if he has a headache he won't take anything and thinks I make my allergys worse in the long run by taking antihistimines sometimes. he is entitled to his view but don't think it is fair to make DS suffer for his principles.

I actually agree that ABs should not be overused and we do have to be careful as DS has had many severe ear infections and a few chest infections in his life so we are selective when we use them. Perhaps they weren't necessary but I will finish the course now we have started.

Can bacterial chest infections be spread that easily - sorry I am a bit ignorant on this and thought not really - that it was the cough/cold that would spread more easily and it is not many parents who keep their kids at home with coughs/colds. If I did we would be housebound most of the winter!!

OP posts:

ScarlettWalking · 29/03/2011 10:57

I agree wholeheartedly with your dh actually. He sounds ill and he should be resting at home so he can recover properly. What's the problem with doing so?

GoldenGreen · 29/03/2011 10:59

I would have said it was fine if child otherwise well and able to join in. That's the line my children's nursery have always taken - they have facilities for storing ABs etc so it must be commonplace.

Original poster

jigglebum · 29/03/2011 11:48

ScarlettWalking - if he was at home he wouldn't be resting unless really feeling under the weather - as he was fri/sat last week and we did snuggle on the sofa and read books and watch cbeebies but he would be up and playing and racing round the house - a sign I felt he was well enough to go, despite the cough and ABs.

Just remembered that he went to nursery when much younger a couple of times with ABs for an ear infection - DH said nothing then about it and nursery were fine with it too.

OP posts:

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