What are the risks of giving antibiotics to children?

[AtheneNoctua]

Is seems that the UK is very shy about giving ABs to children. I took DD to the doctor tonight with suspected UTI, and GP said because of her age wouldn't prescribe AB unless certain was UTI. So we have to provide urine sample and wait at least a day or two for results. I'm sure that in the US I would have walked out with a just in case prescription od ABs.

Is this about cost or health? If health, what are the risks for children?

Not sure if there are any risks, but I know that they are cautious about giving too many antibiotics as their overuse/abuse results in bacteria becoming resistant to them.

They will be testing to make sure that it's a bacgterial infection first, so that they know that antibiotics will be appropriate.

I think it to do with bugs becoming resistant to anti-b's. Anti-b's do nothing for viruses, only work for bacterial infections

I would agree it is a rather late-in-coming effort to prevent overprescription of a-b's, due to resistance problems.

(not in the individual but among certain organisms)

For example (you might wish you hadn't asked!) recently I was very ill with an antibiotic related infection - yes, actually caused by antibiotics. It's a resistant bug, which means when you take something like a 3rd generation cephalosporin for example, it wipes out nearly everything in your gut and therefore this one (which is not killed) goes ballistic and attacks your insides.
Then you have to take further a-b's to kill off it, and there are only two that work (it is a superbug) and one of those is the last resort drug effective against some types of MRSA (another superbug) so they are very reluctant to prescribe it.

So people get given the first one (which is also much cheaper) and a lot of people stop taking it half way through because it ahs horrid side effects, so the bug gets stronger still, and then the second drug is not so effective, bla bla bla, we are all in trouble.

Tooth discolouration can be caused by long term antibiotic use.

My last doctor (changed due to moving away from area - he was a great doctor though) was very reluctant about prescribing antibiotics. Apart from the risk of bacteria becoming resistant, he had another theory that throwing antibiotics at everything actually hindered the development of the immune system because you're not giving it a chance to fight infections.
I haven't heard this anywhere else, could be bollocks, but interesting theory nontheless..

I think we are going to try cranberry juice. I think the GP is being overly cautious, considering DD has never ever had a single anti biotic in her life and she woke up last night crying in pain.

I wonder, come to think of it if there could be any relationahip between eczema and UTI? She also has eczema on the backs of her hands. Dry cracke, bleeding, and painful. Maybe just a coincidence.

Well, cranberry juice is useless. As of last night she has a temp of 40 C (104 F). And I am thinking she would be better off if she had started ABs two days ago.

Hi AtheneNoctua,
Try giving her one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda mixed with a glass of water. Doesn't taste very nice but it's a really good treatment for cystitis. If it's not cystitis then it's going to do her no harm anyway. Also she should avoid oranges/orange juice as that can cause those symptoms. Bicarb takes the pain away within the first day in my experience (also for loads of friends I know who've tried it).
If she'll drink it you can give it to her at least 3 times a day till it goes.
Poor love, I know how that feels but I agree if you can avoid ABs it's better for her.
Hope she's better soon.

Have now been back to do and came away with ABs. Yay. But, what a lot ofofaffing around I had to go through to get.

I just hope she recovers in time for Thanksgiving (tomorrow!).

Thank for the bicarb of soda tip... but I don't think I'd have a chance in hell of getting her to drink it.

My DD is on constant antibiotics, every day and has been since she was 15 weeks old, she's 2.6 now and her next consultation is when she is 3 yo. She gets recurrent water infections due to reflux.

I wasn't aware that they were reluctant to prescribe them.... poor thing. Hope she better soon .

OneBoyOneGirl

My dd also prescribed constant antibiotics from 6 weeks due to reflux.
She was discharged at her 3yo consult since she had no recurrence and has had no problems since.

Hope your dd has a similar outcome at her next appointment.

It is purley due to to many ab's can make your body almost immune to them so they don't work.

My son is on them constantly and will be for the rest of his life but they still cange them aroung every 6 months so he doens't build up to much of a resistance.

Plus antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the body and can make you suspeptable to other bugs about.

frankbestfriend - thank you , i am hoping for that too, she has had over 20 UTI's in her life, but touch wood, none in the last 4-5 months.