Ear infections and antibiotics! When NOT to use?

[Angeliz]

Hello all.
Well what a crappy week. Shrot farcical holiday followed by some chill out time where dd2 (aged 13 months) seems to have oicked up a very nasty bug. Vomitting all night and diarohea(sp). I took her to G.P yesterday as her eyes rolled back in her head and i was worried about that.

My G.P was not available and saw a differet one who did a 20 second exam (no kidding) and then said 'oh one ear is red ' and prescribed antibiotics which may upset her tummy!!!!

I asked if she really needed them and he didn't reply!! Was mighty pissed off at being treat like a moron and told to do what i'm told.
Anyway, had a chat with Pharmacist who agreed with me that once her stomache had settled (which it still hasn't and she's on calpol constatly for fever and high temperature) theat it may be worth getting her re assesed then.

Am i being terrible with-holding the antibiotics?
It just seems like a bug to me and i know an ear infection could be the cause but i feel he's missed the symptoms!

Sad and worried!
Any advice welcome.
I am intending to see my own G.P on Friday to check again and then if she needs them i'll give antibiotics but am loathe to at the minute!

Yes i guess so
Mine is asleep in the living room at the moment as she's not lasting more than an hour without being glued to my front!
She's eaten a peice of toast and 3 rice cales today though and is keeping down fluids so i think she's on the mend from yesterday.
SO SO glad i'm not on my own about the antibiotics. DP is totally with me too thankfully.

When is yours due Lockets?

Well i was Septmeber but they've moved it to the 31st August so we're very close actually

It's funny, with dd1 the pregnancy was the be all and end all, with dd2 it was still a big part, with this one i hardly have time to realise i'm pregnant!!
Do you know what you're having?
I find out on Friday hopefully.

poor ds 3 has had zillions of ear infections. Over the years I have constantly been told that your average infection just needs pain killers & will clear up just as quick with or without ab's, as someone else has said. Ab's really on given in burst ear drum situations or when the ear is clearly v. badly infected. we are lucky with our doc tho, always see the same one, always very thorough, and if it's borderline he'll hold the ab's but see ds again in a day or 2 to check which way it's going.

You must've felt so bloody being treated like that

Hello

There are so very interesting statistics on the web re the effectiveness of anti-biotics in treating ear-infections. Having read them, I don't think that you are remotely 'terrible' for with holding them.

About eight out of ten children with ear infections get better with no antibiotics at all (read this on medical site), but I think they are necessary for severe ones.

Hope DD2 gets better soon.

Thanks everyone again
Quick update is, i took her to the G.P this morning. (My own G.P). She checked her very thoroughly and had a long chat with me HOORAY for good Doctors!!

Anyway, she feels i've done the right thing and should not give the antibiotics prescribed by other Doc. She said her is a little red but by no means bulging and if she was in pain she'd have heard her from the waiting room.
As the poor bairn still has diarohea(sp) i have to take a stool sample if it's not cleared by Monday so she can test for Rotovirus and Salmonella
Poor baby is axhausted and so am i!

BTW, Lockets...........it's a boy!!! Just found out!

hope she gets better soon.