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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

210 replies

Goinghometocallie · 03/08/2020 17:32

And to be super nosy, what they were for.

OP posts:
OohKittens · 03/08/2020 22:57

My daughter is 10 and up to now none at all. My 17yr old about 3, my youngest is coming up 8 and also none so far. But my 13yr old is on azythromycin long term. He was on antibiotics for 6 months from birth then every month he would have steroids and antibiotics and be in hospital. He has been on antibiotics long term for so long now and steroid tablets.

MsEllany · 03/08/2020 22:59

I think once, maybe twice?

I can only remember trying to get toddler twins to have that revolting ‘banana’ antibiotic syrup and failing dismally! Not even sure what it was for. Probably a catch-all as they were toddlers and speech delayed.

MsEllany · 03/08/2020 23:01

Oh - I had reoccurring tonsillitis as a child and had them out when I was 18. After about a year everything settled down, and haven’t had a throat infection since.

netflixismysidehustle · 03/08/2020 23:05

Dc1 once (tonsillitis)
Dc2 five times (recurrent ear infections)
Dc3 never

trixiebelden77 · 03/08/2020 23:15

I’m 43 and have never had them. I’ve been ill with viruses only.

I say this every time I’m challenged by a parent whose child is in intensive care and they don’t ‘believe in’ antibiotics or feel they are ‘overprescribed’. Along with a description of the evidence for bacterial infection in their child.

How few courses you have is not a competition; it is luck.

steppemum · 03/08/2020 23:21

ds - maybe 3-4 lots for ear infections, all within 2 years, none since, he is now a teen
dd1 - hmm, not sure she has ever had them? Now teen
dd2 - probably 2-3 times, for infections eg picked and spot and got infected. now a teen

It is interesting though, becuase dd was very ill as a toddler, had 13 operations between 18 months and 2.5, and had lingering problems for several years. So anti biotics isn't much of an indication of health

Aveisenim · 03/08/2020 23:22

Once.. I think... for an infection... if not then Zero. DC is nearly 12 now. Rarely needed GP input since being a toddler.

ekidmxcl · 03/08/2020 23:25

Both kids several times: several chest infections, scarlet fever, tonsillitis.

BogRollBOGOF · 03/08/2020 23:25

DS (9) Once 18m ago for tonsilitis (very moldy looking, could barely swallow)

DS (7) a couple of rounds for water infections when he was a toddler.

ScrimpshawTheSecond · 03/08/2020 23:28

My 1st will have had them once via breastmilk, I suppose, and once after that, for an infected fingernail.

Youngest I think never. Can't really remember, though.

EskSmith · 03/08/2020 23:28

Both had only once for scarlet fever, I think they were 7&9.

Tunnocks34 · 03/08/2020 23:29

My sons aren’t that age, but I’d say my eldest is 7, he has had them once for an ear infection (promptly found out he’s allergic to penicillin)

Middle son is 4 and he’s had them once.

Youngest never but he’s having a lobectomy and will have them afterwards I’m sure

Iverunoutofnames · 03/08/2020 23:32

DD had them multiple times for ear infections. Once they swobbed her ears and gave her the right one she never had them again.

Toothsil · 03/08/2020 23:36

Too many to count when she was a baby up to 5, for ear infections. Also a fair few times for tonsillitis but only around once a year now, if that. DD was very premature which has contributed to a lot of the infections.

Doublechins · 03/08/2020 23:40

My eldest is 10 and has never had them.
9 year old - never had them
5 year old - once post op.
2 year old never had them

MsF1t · 03/08/2020 23:42

So far, zero (currently 9).

nedtherobbot · 03/08/2020 23:47

Dd almost 8, has had maybe 8 or 9 courses, two for dental infections, two lots for different wound infections; she picks at scabs, one nasty chest infection, one uti, one lot of tonsilis and a few ear infections.

Ds, 4, I've lost count. He had at least a dozen courses before he was 12 months, three lots of iv antibiotics in hdu for suspected mengitis/encephalitis, one of the admissions if turned out to be 'just' tonsillitis, another time d and v bug and one which was never got to the bottom of. Other admissions no antibotic treatment required. Lots of ear infections, chest infections and a few uti, mostly related to his genetic condition making them more likely. For a long time it was probably every other week that he needed them. Every time he has had antibiotics he has needed them, taking them has prevented hospital admissions or been potentially life saving. I don't think it has had any adverse effects on him, other medication comes into play for him to which are much more likely to have an adverse effect but are needed, other than needing lots of thrush nappy rash treatment he otherwise wouldn't have needed.

My sister and I both has lots of antibiotics as children. She was prone to tonslitis until her tonsilis were removed in her early teens. I had years and years of almost constant ear infections and almost 5 years treatment on a very low does for bad acne as it was the only thing that kept it under control. Both now healthy adults who are rarely ill.

Comefromaway · 03/08/2020 23:50

A few times for ds. Mostly chest infections but one awful bout of cellulitis where he was on the verge of being hospitalised on IV antibiotics.

Cupidity · 03/08/2020 23:59

DD (10) once - to prevent infection after an awful lot of stitches.

DS (6) about 3 times by the time he was 1 all for chest infections, some iv antibiotics a year later for pneumonia, several loads more in the intervening years. Not sure how many in total but quite a lot.

notangelinajolie · 03/08/2020 23:59

DC1 lots due to tonsillitis - she ended up being on them almost all the time from 18 months old until they were finally removed when she was 7 - when they went septic. So sad that it took her being seriously ill before they would remove them - she missed so much school and when I look back at old photos of her, she looks so poorly and pale in all of them Sad
DC2 major dental surgery and antibiotics were unavoidable
DD3 none

tankflybos · 04/08/2020 00:05

What is the point of this thread?

tankflybos · 04/08/2020 00:06

And why are you all offering up personal information?

zebrapig · 04/08/2020 00:14

DD (5) has had about half a dozen courses.
DS (2.5) has had so many courses I've lost count. He was prem so had some in NNU, then a course each time for 3 bouts of bronchioiltis. Then 3 lots for ear infections. Then I think 8 courses back to back for an ear infection that wouldn't shift and eventually ended up on a prophylactic course. Most recently had a course 3 weeks ago for another ear infection. So around 13 I guess.

magicmallow · 04/08/2020 00:15

DS is 8, and once only so far for a tonsil infection.

SleepingStandingUp · 04/08/2020 00:18

3 times a week every week for the last 3 1/2 years