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.

But it's not a bacterial infection he has!

This is a completely reasonable view now. You can't trash a mum doing the best she knows, but does highlight how the NHS is failing very quickly. Needs to start with more money into basic education to stop NHS waste. If people think they need antibiotics for a cough and get them, why would they think it isn't good. Kids could be taught how to write a poem nowadays but still can't perform CPR or cook a basic meal now. It's all a mess

I understand your anxiety, but trying to put logic into it, antibiotics wouldn't have helped your brother either if it was viral encephalitis. Your son has had cough/ cold symptoms for 2 weeks. It's winter. He's not getting worse, it's just lingering.

No one on the internet can determine if your child has a viral or bacterial infection. The doctor you saw in person is best for this. If the issue is viral the antibiotics won’t help and as the other posters have pointed the reasons why we shouldn’t take antibiotics unless needed.

I'm sorry to hear this. But viral encephalitis is caused by a virus. Antibiotics don't work against viruses. All the antibiotics in the world wouldn't have helped your brother.

Does your GP know about that background? I have a few patients with similar reasons for being unusually anxious about their kids and I spend just a little bit more time with them, when I can.

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.

Did you do 5 years at medical school + several years of postgrad training? Do you see hundreds of viral infections every week?

Do you know that using antibiotics for viral infections does absolutely nothing and adds to the really worrying in crease in bacterial infections which are resistant to antibiotics.

Antibiotic resistance is really serious.

YABU totally.

My husband had viral encephalitis. He was treated with antivirals, not antibiotics.

OP, I understand your worry, it's awful when your DC are poorly. But my child has an actual bacterial infection atm and we had to ring round 5 different pharmacies yesterday to get her the antibiotics she needs. The GP warned us we would have difficulty as they are inundated with worried parents who are pushing for antibiotics when they aren't warranted. If your child's illness is viral antibiotics will not make them better, and they shouldn't be prescribed to children purely to alleviate parents anxieties. Not when there are very ill children who actually need them.

The doctor wouldn't be acting in your dc's best interest if they have antibiotics that are not needed.