AIBU or is the doctor?

[Joulesismyfave]

I took my 4 year old to the GP this afternoon as he’s had a cough coming up 2 weeks. He was unwell to start with (last week) and was off school. He went back on Monday and was still snotty/coughing but fine in himself, he was in Tuesday and tomorrow too. However at pick up they told me his cough sounded very deep and chesty.

I kept him off today and got him an appointment. He’s extremely congested too, he can hardly breathe out of his nose. Nothing seems to be clearing it. Using a saline spray regularly and a cool mist humidifier at bedtime.

GP listened to his chest, checked temp, checked him for a rash, looked in his throat. Said it was a lingering viral infection and antibiotics won’t do anything.
I tried to say that in the current climate I’d feel more at ease if he had a prescription for antibiotics, but he said it may do more harm than good, which I don’t really understand. Surely prevention is better than just ignoring it.

In the nicest way possible, Yabu. Its horrible when your little one is unwell, but antibiotics don't work for illnesses like a cough or cold. Wishing them a speedy recovery! X

long term overuse of antibiotics makes it more likely you will contract an antibiotic resistant infection in the future, and contributes to the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria on a population level. That’s the harm and it’s a big deal.

Yes agree with this. Antibiotics are a prescription medication that aren’t going to be given out for your piece of mind when they aren’t needed!

I understand that, but he’s coughing and so snotty and congested. His nose is sore too. He’s struggling to sleep because of the cough and his voice sounds all nasally.

But antibiotics won't help that as it seems like a viral infection.

Sadly there really isn't anything you can do.

It is tough when children are poorly but what was your expectations of the GP?

If it's bacterial, ie needing antibiotics, symptoms tend to be just a cough or just a sore throat alongside fever/headache etc. If it's viral you get the classic cold symptoms - congestion, cough, headache, sore throat together. Bacteria and viruses work in different ways in how they attack the body. If you got given antibiotics he would likely just end up with diarrhoea and run the risk of antibiotic resistance which is a real threat

The doctor is right. Sounds like he did a really thorough examination and as though your DS doesn’t have any worrying signs / symptoms.
If he gave antibiotics there’s a few possible harms:

1. your DS could have either an allergic reaction or side effects - fine if the antibiotics are needed, it’s a downside worth having but not if there’s no need for them.
2. Unnecessary antibiotics contribute to the development of antibiotic resistant bugs so a bacteria causing a much more serious illness might one day not be responsive to any of the antibiotics we have now
3. there’s a cost to the nhs - again absolutely not important if your DS would benefit at all but if not then it needs taking into account
4. we have a shortage of the most commonly used antibiotics at the moment, especially liquid versions for children, prescribing to everyone just in case will only make this worse and make it harder to access them when needed.

Hope your DS feels better soon

Antibiotics won't help a sore nose unfortunately. Lots of calpol/neurofen and cuddles until they feel better..

Antibiotics do nothing to fight viruses

Wrap him up warn and lots of fluids.

Hope he's feeling better soon

Well then give him tictacs 3 x a day. They'll be just as effective in treating a virus as antibiotics will be.

Antibiotics don’t cure viral infections. I understand you are worried and it must be awful when they don’t get better but it isn’t the right medicine.

Building antibiotic resistance by taking them unnecessarily means when he really needs them, they won’t work as well.

And? If it’s not bacterial then the antibiotics will do nothing helpful. They can also decimate the bacteria population in the gut which can cause other annoying issues.
Steam helps - steamy baths or showers are good. Keeping up a bit of physical activity helps (likely a bit lighter than what your kid would do when not ill). The nasal sprays you’re doing a good.
Your dr will have looked in his ears and throat for signs of bacterial infection (pus basically) and will have listened to his chest and taken into account what you were able to tell him and pain/fever etc.
He’ll get over it in a few days most likely.
If he gets worse, has trouble breathing, develops a high fever, starts coughing up disgusting green phelgm, then call the doctor again. Bacterial infection can set in any time really.

Neither of you are being unreasonable. You just want to safeguard your son’s health. But that doesn’t mean you should attempt to replace the doctor’s clinical judgement with your own.

I think there is no reason to think the doctor did not make the right call. And I also think your son is lucky to have you advocating on his behalf.

I hope he feels better soon. My dd is ill too and I know it can be miserable when it lingers.

Antibiotics won’t treat a virus. Coughs can linger around, it’s not unusual.

Antibiotics are for bacterial infections. Not for putting your mind at rest. YABU.

Have a look at this. The cough is quite likely to last a week or so more at least www.nhs.uk/conditions/cough/

if he’s well in himself and not struggling to breathe it’s all fine.

I understand that, but he’s coughing and so snotty and congested. His nose is sore too. He’s struggling to sleep because of the cough and his voice sounds all nasally.

None of that means that antibiotics will make his virus better. Because that's not what antibiotics do. Why do you think you know better than the doctor?

Resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest threats we face, I have seen patients with multiple resistances to antibiotics and it is terrifying when they are really sick and we are trying to treat them! We have to be really careful with prescribing them!!!

DS was hospitalised for 8 days at 6 weeks old with rsv and bronchiolitis which are similar to you describe but he also was throwing up every feed and went floppy. Even then they didn’t give antibiotics, just put him on oxygen and tube fed him.

I understand you are worried but antibiotics won’t do anything, UNLESS he has signs bacterial infection (pus/high temp).

Hope he’s feeling better soon

GP here. Antibiotics don't generally prevent iGAS - rough estimates are that if you give 6000 people a course of antibiotics you might prevent one case. GPs assessment sounds sensible. I dread to think the resistance we are going to brew over the next few weeks if we give antibiotics out like smarties.

Ffs. Antibiotics don’t work for viral infections and all you are doing is driving the issue of antibiotic resistance.

antibiotics also completely fuck up your gut bacteria and it’s even worse in children. It’ll take years to build back up again leaving him more susceptible to other illnesses as the gut is an important part of the immune system.

This has to be a wind ip

Why bother with doctors, you are clearly an expert!

Antibiotic abuse causes resistance. A virus will clear eventually with rest, fluids and plenty of fresh air 🙄