AIBU to ask how many times your kids had antibiotics by 10 yrs old

[Goinghometocallie]

And to be super nosy, what they were for.

Dc1 -once very very bad tonsilitis
DC2 -probably over 30 times. At least 5 times a year more as a toddler. Blocked sinus and ear infections. Regularly spikes 40 degrees or 41 and hospital admittance ( then has breathing problems) the GP and myself find the way to prevent this is -red ears, spike to 38/39 -dose up antibiotics. Immediately. We have two loads of antibiotics at all times in the house in the cupboard and the GP already authorised it in the notes -so only needs a phone call to duty GP. Also had awful nappy rash as a baby and regularly had an antifungal treatments etc and constant creams. DC1 same nappies- nothing. DC2 sees an infection and is ill. Anything going around they catch. If DC1 is ill -everyone will get it . Very rare for them to be ill -ever.

DS, probably 15-18 for chest infections back to back over the winter.

DD, maybe 12, a few chest infections, a larger number of UTIs. She ended up on a low dose every day for 6 months for UTIs.

We are a chest infection-prone breed.

DD1 0; DD 2 once age 7 for a uti. DS 0 so far (4 years in)

@Goinghometocallie

Thanks for replies. For those of you Whose children have had multiple rounds, do you feel the anti biotics have have an affect in their over all health??

Why is everyone answering @Goinghometocallie questions?

OP, why do you throw questions out at people without providing ANY reasons as to why they should feel compelled to answer, or any context as to why you're asking?

Actually forget that...5 pages in, and we have tons of people willing to share.

Your second question, do I feel multiple antibiotics have affected their overall health?

Yes. I feel that their health has been affected in that 2 if the 3 are alive and not dead from preventable diseases.

I don't know how many rounds. 1 had multiple ear infections when small, scarlet fever, that sort of thing. Had some for dental reasons. Another had a urine infection, maybe a round or so for chest infection or tonsillitis. Smallest had a urine infection when tiny, has had tonsillitis and also had IV antibiotics when admitted to hospital with a secondary infection from chicken pox.

Antibiotics these days are rarely handed out when not necessary. They are bloody wonderful things.

One when she was a few month old for a chest infection. A second for a bite from a cat, then a third for infected chicken pox (it was really nasty)

She has topical antibiotics in her eczema creams as they get infected so it prevents it from starting.

I don’t believe they’ve impacted her health negatively in any way. She never gets colds or ill even when younger and even though she has asthma and eczema (genetics for you unfortunately) she’s never had any problems since then. The alternative to the antibiotics is she suffers from a condition that is potentially deadly if she turns sceptic and entirely preventable

Thanks for replying. To the lady who has a problem with me asking, plenty of people were happy to answer so I don’t know why you’re so touchy. I asked because we have a tonsil problem in this house and I am scared about the repetitive anti biotics.

Well my children aren't 10, one is 7 and one is 4, 7 year old had them from 4 days to 14 days via IV. She's had 1 lot since for tonsillitis. 4 year old had a set last November for scarlet fever.

Dc1 - never (nearly 10)
Dc2 - about 6 or 7 asthmatic and has lots of chest infection which have needed hospital stays and antibiotics (nearly 8) finger crossed nothing for about 18 months....

We have been lucky and ds(16) never really gets ill (touches wood). He has had antibiotics 3 times.

• at 18 months when he was hospitalised for a week with bronchiolitis
• once around 7 when he had a urine infection
• at 13 when he had something on his arm, maybe an insect bite, that became very badly infected (3 lots of different antibs before it would clear)

So not many and don't appear to have had any negative impact.

DS1 so many times I lost count.

Hasn’t affected him as an adult but he was quite sickly until his teens.

Ds2 once maybe or twice. I can’t remember. Now an adult.

Dd a couple of times for tonsillitis or an ear infection.

DD1 - never
DD2 - once, for scarlett fever

DS (is 6)a course for tonsillitis, 2 for a chest infection, 2 for infected insulin pump sites.

Goodness couldn’t tell you.
DD1 is 9 and has had several courses for tonsillitis. She’s also had some for an infection in her fingernail and if I’m remembering rightly she had them for Scarlett fever.
DD2 is 6 and she’s had some for an ear infection and possibly that’s all.

DS, loads - chest infections, ear infections.
DD, hardly any, in fact I am not sure she has ever had an antibiotic.

My DD is five and I’m struggling to remember but she does seem to pick up ear infections from swimming in the sea (obsessed with going under water; on ABs right now for one). She will also get one chest infection in winter (she had one in Feb, I anticipate another in Nov). So could be 3 courses this year!

My DS who is almost 2 has had 8/9 lots, all for chest infections!

Loads. Can’t even count. We’ve had countless for skin infections and abscesses, numerous for UTI’s And some for ear/throat.

As for their general health, it’s not great, but bollocks all to do with the antibiotics. Those antibiotics have kept both myself and my children alive. All their health problems are inherited. As long as you finish the course and take them correctly there shouldn’t be a massive problem with having them.

Once for my eldest. None for my youngest.

Never.

Dd had her first round when she was a tiny baby as she had an infection in her finger. Several more over the next few years for ear infections in particular, later on also UTIs.

One of her teeth did not develop any enamel which the doctor ascribed to illness/antibiotics when she was little. A pity, but then we couldn't let her die from sepsis just so she could keep her teeth pretty.

Zero but still time yet as both under 10

9 months - Bronchitis

4 years - ear infection

7 years - skin infection

8 years - Bronchitis

She is 13 now.

DS1 - probably 10 times? He had a chest infection most winters

DS2 - probably at least 100, he had ear infections/tonsillitis several times a year from 6 months old. He then had chemotherapy for 2 years aged 6 and was forever on antibiotics. 100 times is probably an underestimation. He was also on a permanent long term antibiotic which he just took at weekends ( due to the chemo)

Twice so far for my son (8)

My DS is 19 and has never had antibiotics.