To NOT give my DD antibiotics

[Pickleypickles]

Last monday DD who is 8 months had a burst ear drum, i took the GP who said thats what it was but as she was so well in herself, no temp and perfectly happy, she gave me a prescription for anti biotics but said not to get them and give them to her unless she started to get actually unwell (you honestly wouldnt of known anything was wrong with her except her ear was super gross)

I have mentioned to friends/colleagues what has happened and that she has been a little up and down since, not poorly just a bit whingier.

Now they are all telling me im cruel for not getting the prescription, how would i like it etc.

So i went to the pharmacist and explained everything who agreed with me that unless she is getting worse then not to give them her and she will fight it.

I agree with the pharmacist, i think anti biotics are over used and people should be more reluctant to use them especially with all the resistance going on atm.

So AIBU to not get the antibiotics? Am i being a bad mum?

You've had consistent advice from the Dr and the pharmacist which reinforces your own instincts. Why would you prioritise the advice of unqualified people, in RL or still less on here?

youre doing what the doctor and pharmacist have advised but are doubting yourself because Judith in accounts says youre wrong??

I’ve been given a ‘just in case’ script for antibiotics for one of my kids ear infections but on that occasion I truly didn’t think she needed them so I didn’t pick any up. Trust the doctor & your own instincts. You know her best!

Because i hate being called a bad mum

No that is normal procedure.

I'm pretty sure that a burst eardrum is prone to infection (doesn't sound like it was already infected given your DD hasn't been in much pain) so the AB could have been to avoid infection?

I guess the GP wasn't clear on that?

You could ring and ask.

There is no issue (in my non medical opinion) in taking AB if prescribed. The issue is with people going to GP and demanding AB for viral infections that won't respond to the medication!

Sorry, just re-read.

Yep you are fine, hang on to the prescription just in-case though.

You got medical advice. That’s what you listen to. Not the eejits who think they know better because they’ve watched a bit of Casulty.

Commiserations OP. But IME, there's always someone who'll find something to have a go at you for when you're a parent. I'm still figuring out how to know when I just need a thick skin and when I need to reconsider my decisions. In this case, I'd be sticking with my instincts given the actually qualified people have agreed with them....

I've been given several just in case prescriptions for ear infections. I've always taken it to mean 'you're a sensible mum whom we trust won't medicate unnecessarily and giving the prescription now means we all save time and money by avoiding the potential for another appointment.' I.e. they probably think you are a good mum.

Why would anyone ignore the advice of someone that trained for years for the advice of a few colleagues ffs why can’t people just keep there noses out, watching too much hobby city doesn’t make them experts

Following the advice of a medical professional does NOT make you a bad mum, in fact in makes you quite the opposite

You can't go against your own instincts and sound medical advice just to avoid mild disapproval. Everyone gets judged when they're a parent. Don't take it to heart.

I like this just in case thing. I've had situations like this where there has been an obvious issue but not yet infected so i get the script and if an infection does rear it's head i can get it made up without the faff of seeing the doctor again.

youre doing what the doctor and pharmacist have advised but are doubting yourself because Judith in accounts says youre wrong??

Yeah tell Judith in accounts to mind her own

I know what you mean OP, I was recently in a similar situation and also held off giving the AB’s.* Didn’t take long for DD to get over it and she wasn’t in any pain or discomfort.*

I think you’re right not to just give her antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. I’d be inclined to collect the prescription and have it ready just in case she suddenly becomes unwell....
Hopefully she won’t need them...

Don’t know why that last bit was in bold with a Star at the end

So your GP and pharmacist both told you not to give them.

Why are you asking randoms on the internet? Would you give them if I said do?

I had the same last year, was given the prescription but didn't collect it and waited to see how dd got on.
Unfortunately 6 hours later she was grey and writhing in agony - cue late night dash to get antibiotics- it was fascinating how fast they began to work!
So in future I would collect the antibiotics in case I needed them, but would still hold fire and see how it went. Although I did feel pretty guilty about dd, I don't think I did the wrong thing.

They may call you a "bad mum" (they're wrong) but they are "bad human beings" for suggesting you should give your child (any child) unnecessary antibiotics against medical advice.

Because i hate being called a bad mum

Sometimes being a good mum means living with being called a bad mum. You did the right thing.

Belmo but if you collect them and then don't use them, they're wasted, will have to thrown away and will cost the NHS money. Don't do that. However I would always advise everyone to know where their nearest late night opening chemists are so you can minimise your wait. You did do the right thing (both Belmo and OP)

Thank you guys, i think when lots of people are telling you something you start doubting yourself sometimes and i just needed some reassurance.
I will tell judith to fuck off and mind her own

Butterymuffin Fine if you have a reliable late-night pharmacy nearby. I’ m in inner London and recently found out that there is no pharmacy open after 6pm within about 1.5 miles of me (there’s a hospital one, but am not sure if they would take non-hospital prescriptions.) Having remembered how much in agony I was with a burst eardrum as a child, I really wouldn’t want to risk leaving them like that for any length of time (let alone taking them on the bus to do the pick-up).

(Cost of ABs doesn’t seem to be the issue, anyway. My DD was recently i’ll with a fever and hospitalised with ABs while they waited for her labs to come back. She got several home visits with more AB shots since but was still given ABs for us to administer - even after the labs confirmed viral infection. Sensible to consider bacterial secondaries, but several weeks’ worth of ABs on the offchance suggests it’s not unicorn tears.)

You should stop feeding your child meat then if you are so concerned over antibiotic use!

I had the same situation recently. I was informed by more than one medic that unless my child developed a temperature his ear infection was viral and not bacterial which of course meant no need for the anti-b.

I got the anti-b from my local chemist just in case. I requested it not made up (so I have the bottle of powder in the medicine cabinet waiting for the water to be added). It's still sitting there and my DC is better this week

YANBU.