How long should antibiotics take to help a toddler's chest infection?

[Tiredmumma221]

Hi,
My DS 21 months was diagnosed with a. Respiratory tract infection on Friday and given 5 days of antibiotics. We managed to get all 3 doses in on Friday and Saturday so he's had 2 full days. He's absolutely no better, if anything he's slightly worse. He still has a temp and it starts creeping up past 39c without medication and is hovering around 38c with calpol and ibuprofen. He is really tired and is sleeping on and off all the time and has very little interest in playing. How long should it take for the antibiotics to kick in a see a difference?

Is he eating/drinking as normal? I’d phone 111 and see if an out of hours gp can check him based on how listless he is and that he’s worsening.

Usually it takes 3 full days to see improvement with antibiotics. But if you feel he’s getting worse then I wouldn’t leave it any longer. Phone 111 today to get their advice

Normal advice would be to complete the course. However if he's getting worse I'd be getting him checked out again. Hope he gets better soon.

He's eating and drinking a little. He's had had a weatabix and a couple of blueberries today. 111 are pretty limited in our area and always send us to A&E and our local peads A&E are pretty terrible. I'll see how he is over the next few hours.

Do you have an urgent treatment centre near you? They’re usually quite good. You can just turn up

Usually 3 ish full days but the only thing I would mention is that it might not actually be a chest infection, it might be bronchiolitis which does not respond to antibiotics and just has to run its course, often getting worse before getting better.

My daughter was in A&E with symptoms before Christmas and we were told chest infection, given antibiotics. We really struggled to get them into her and her breathing worsened so we went back to A&E and after having oxygen was assessed by consultant who said not chest infection but was bronchio and to sack off the antibiotics because they won’t work. He said it’s a really common misdiagnosis so just something to consider x

Thanks all, took him back to the GP today and was sent to the hospital for a chest X-ray. They have admitted him for IV antibiotics and fluids.

Thank you for the update. You were right to act and not leave it any longer, you know your child best.
I hope he improves soon