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?

"I was informed by more than one medic that unless my child developed a temperature his ear infection was viral and not bacterial."

That isn't always true. My son never gets a temperature but we know his infections are bacterial.

Oh shit, I thought I was doing the right thing. GP and Paeds Nurse told me this. He was miserable with a capital M.

How do you know it's bacterial if there's no temperature? Are there other signs Spikeyball?

It does make you a bad mum to ignore medical advice.

We only know because he gets swabs taken after his ear drum ruptures which is usually when we find out there is an infection. He never gets temperatures with anything. His infections are chronic which possibly makes a difference.
It's very likely your child's was viral.

I am going to disagree currently NICE guidelines are that under 2 all ear infections are treated with antibiotics.
My DD is one the reasons for this as age 5 months she nearly died from mastoid abscess which developed from an ear infection. She was never unwell, never had a temperature and lay in her cot an giggled at the ENT surgeon before he took her to theatre. Another 24 hours she would had life changing injuries, 48hrs she probably would have died from sepsis. She was the first of a spate of mastoid abscesses 13 years ago that made NICE change it’s guidelines.
Ear infections in under 2s are very serious.

Thanks. My DC is non-verbal and has ASD which makes it very difficult to work out what's wrong, how bad it is etc. It was a bloody nightmare for him

You are right and they are wrong

We all need To tone down the antibiotics

I think anti-biotics are not good especially for children. However, in a difficult situation its alright to give anti-biotics.

Hi OP,

As the mother of a child fighting cancer, I want to thank you for taking your GPs advice and not giving ABs unless absolutely needed. Common infections such as ear and chest infections could kill my child and its thanks to parents like yourself, that AB resistance isn't worse than it already is. Thank you, if you have time google "Antibiotic Guardian" and sign the pledge. hope your DD feels better soon xx

Hi OP-you are doing the right thing to take consistent medical advice. The people telling you to ignore it are VERY irresponsible. Hope you DD feels better soon

Hope your DD recovers quickly but hold on to that script because kids of that age can go downhill fast.