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Original poster

How many time has you your toddlers had antibiotics in the last year? (21 months)

49 replies

Fightingtobepositive · 06/02/2023 19:05

My ds is struggling to fight things off himself he seems to end up with antibiotics most illnesses now. He’s had around 9 lots in the last year. He’s gone a month without them from December to Jan but still had a back to back cold/cough for the entire month and now back in them for his throat.

just looking for some reassurance that I’m not alone x

OP posts:
Wavescrashingonthebeach · 06/02/2023 19:07

Ahh poor baby mine has had a cold for the last few weeks now!

Nearly every toddler I know has been really really poorly and most of them have needed antibiotics at least once.

I blame lockdown for messing up everyone's immune systems. Roll on Spring and hope all these nasty bugs go soon xxxx

GordonGarden · 06/02/2023 19:18

My toddler hasn't had any (but does seem to have been constantly ill for the last 3 or 4 months). But I did take the baby to A&E recently and a mum there was saying her child (looked around 5yo) had had them 6 times in the previous 9 months.
I'm wondering if Drs are just prescribing them more freely atm - the baby was prescribed them preventatively at 8 weeks old for severe eczema that the paeds registrar was worried might become infected, although it wasn't yet 🤔 (I didn't give them, and no infection ever materialised) I wondered - probably incorrectly - if it was linked to the staffing crisis, if they're perhaps giving them preventatively or more liberally to try and keep infection levels generally low and head off repeat visits..? 🤷🏼‍♀️

AboutTheTeddy · 06/02/2023 19:34

Just once for us (16 months) but she has been constantly coughing for the last few months. But she is completely fine in herself so I've not been to the GP apart from that one time. With strep/scarlet fever going round I do think they are being prescribed more freely.

I hope your LO feels better soon. I think it can be a vicious circle as AB can also deplete the good gut bacteria so that can affect the immune system. Hopefully he can stay healthy for long enough soon to have a good reset. The worst months should soon be behind us!

mistermagpie · 06/02/2023 20:05

My daughter is just three (was born not long before all the lockdowns etc) and has never had antibiotics. I also have a five year year old who has never had them and a seven year old who has had them once.

9 times in a year seems really excessive to me, I thought GPS were trying to minimise prescribing them? No judgement to you OP, you're just following Drs advice, but I can't see how that many antibiotics is good for anyone's immune system.

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 06/02/2023 20:09

Thanks all. The majority of them has been for his throat, there have been a few times where the doctor has said we will try them
just incase and I’ve listened he was premature to so they often say that’s why he may need them. But I’m worried something else is going on. Or is it just doctors giving them more freely as you’ve said. Every time I go I ask is it normal to be repeatedly needing them and they say it is right now so what can I say. But I don’t like the fact that if it wasn’t right now would they be investigating it more.

OP posts:
Teeshirt · 06/02/2023 20:10

Never. One had some for a urine infection when she was about four. But nothing else. My other DC have never had any, and they are teens now.

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 06/02/2023 20:27

Might be worth mentioning that he does go to nursery x

OP posts:
Libmama · 06/02/2023 20:40

My 4 year old has never had them. My 9 year old has only had them twice. Our doctors don’t like giving them out unless absolutely necessary.

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 16:12

I don’t know what’s going on with my doctors then 😓

OP posts:
whatevenissleepanymore · 07/02/2023 16:16

14 OP.

DD suffers awfully with recurrent tonsilitus. She is on the waiting list for surgery to remove them.

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 16:23

Oh bless her. How old is she? It’s his tonsils that the majority has been for. It’s such a worry x

OP posts:
whatevenissleepanymore · 07/02/2023 16:38

Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 16:23

Oh bless her. How old is she? It’s his tonsils that the majority has been for. It’s such a worry x

She turned 3 in November.

Have you spoken to your GP about a referral to the ENT department? If he suffers consistently, it may be best if you push for it. Some kids are just susceptible to it unfortunately and the only thing that eliminates it would be surgery.

I sympathise with you OP. It's hard having to deal with the repeated illnesses constantly, & tonsilitus really knocks them off there feet and makes them so poorly.

Sending a hug Flowers

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 16:39

Thank you. Yes I’ll push hard er if it continues. It feels like he has a cold and cough etc but always ends up needing antibiotics for his throat x

OP posts:
ParentsTrapped · 07/02/2023 16:44

My 5 year old has never had them and my 3 year old (born in lockdown) had them once, at 9 months, when she had a fever for 5 days and no other symptoms. They have both had constant colds, coughs and fevers over winter but thankfully have managed to shake everything off quickly.

I know you are doing what the dr says OP but given the levels of antibiotic resistance id be worried about giving my child so many doses. Hope your little one is ok.

Scottishskifun · 07/02/2023 16:46

12 month old has had 4 sets since October!
Everything he is catching is going straight to his chest and the last set was following an Xray after 3 weeks and found a deep lung infection.

Unfortunately there is a lot going around I would say 9 is alot maybe see if you can get a referral to immunology

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 19:20

Thanks ladies. It does worry me. Il definitely look into it more. It’s just every time I ask the doctors say it’s normal or maybe down to his prematurity. But nothing more.

OP posts:
JLQ1020 · 07/02/2023 19:23

My 1 year old has had 3 courses on antibiotics, twice the amoxcillin one ( the banana one) and a different red one.
She has a constant runny nose and has had a cough for weeks.
She goes to day care full time so I know she will pick up everything.
But I'm with u it's awful to see but each time she does get better with the antibiotics.

Original poster
Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 20:18

Yea same here. They help him everytime bless him. I feel like day care is the devil at the minute. I’ve been so close to quitting my job because it’s awful seeing him unwell all the time xx

OP posts:
Scottishskifun · 07/02/2023 21:40

Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 20:18

Yea same here. They help him everytime bless him. I feel like day care is the devil at the minute. I’ve been so close to quitting my job because it’s awful seeing him unwell all the time xx

I remind myself that it's building their immune system for school which is far better and it helpes with social development.
But it's not nice to see them poorly!

kagerou · 07/02/2023 21:57

No antibiotics yet for DD at 18 months, I think it's mainly because she doesn't go to nursery yet though

Aldisfinest · 07/02/2023 23:17

Once. 6 years old. Pretty common for little ones to get sick very often though. My daughter really has only stopped getting so sick in the past year so.

Saschka · 07/02/2023 23:40

9 courses in one year is a lot by any measure.

DS is 6 and had never needed them - not because I try to avoid them, he’s just never had more than a mild virus, and he’s been fine with a bit of Calpol, day off nursery and naps on the sofa.

If you child is basically needing antibiotics every month, I’d be pushing for a paeds referral honestly. Might be a shit GP, might be something actually wrong with him (ureteric reflux causing UTIs, tonsils need to come out, asthma causing a chronic cough, etc).

4thonthe4th · 07/02/2023 23:46

DS2 will be 4 in June and has never had any antibiotics. DD(9) has had one course in her life.

4thonthe4th · 07/02/2023 23:49

Fightingtobepositive · 07/02/2023 19:20

Thanks ladies. It does worry me. Il definitely look into it more. It’s just every time I ask the doctors say it’s normal or maybe down to his prematurity. But nothing more.

I’d probably ask for a second opinion tbh. All my children have been through nursery and 2 of them are in school, definutely doesn’t seem normal to me. Even DS1 who had meningitis as a baby and had a weakened immune system as a result has never had as many in a 12 month period as your child.
Might be worth it being looked into. My youngest was 9 months when we went into lockdown and started nursery July 2021 and he’s never had antibiotics in his life.

SpottyUnicorn · 07/02/2023 23:53

I'm the only one in our household who's been on antibiotics within the past 10 years and both times I got these from my dentist due to my wisdom tooth.

Meanwhile, my GP refuses to prescribe antibiotics even in situations when we've been very desperate. Every time antibiotics get mentioned, we're being told to just wait till it gets better....