Antibiotics for 9 month old baby: are they really necessary?

[Love2dance]

My DS is 9 1/2 months old. He caught a cold 3 weeks ago last Saturday(also teething). About 4-5 days ago he develped a cough which is now chesty. I had phoned GP twice for advice and was told to carry on as I was (plenty of fluids, baby chest rub, saline drops which he hates) then advised to try Medised 2 days ago. DH took him to locum GP today who prescribed anti-biotics and an anti-allergen (chlorphenamine) which says on the label is not recommended for under 12m!!). I plan to ring for clarification when surgery opens again this afternoon but does anyone have experience of antibiotics in one this age? I want to do best for ds but wonder whether he really needs them. His sleep has been disturbed by coughing but he goes back to sleep and is eating well.

don't know about the antis, but i don't think you necessarily need to worry about the other thing being suitable for 12+ months if it's been prescribed. my ds was prescribed otrivine nasal drops which were marvellous for helping him breathe when he was really bunged up, and you can't buy them over the counter for children under 2.

hope he's better soon

What the doc has told me before on one of my many trips in with dd, is that if she is doing those things and has a temp, that is a sign she has a bacterial infection and is trying to fight it off - and therefore needs antibiotics.

If she just has a cough/ cold but no temp and is otherwise eating and sleeping well, then it is a virus and antibiotics would not be of use.

As such, dd is now 16 months and has never actually had any antibiotics, apart from some antibiotic eye drops for an eye infection. But she has been 'ill' lots.

What I don't like is that GPS often bung kiddies broad spectrum antibiotics which kill good bateria as well as bad bacteria.

Personally I would hold off on antiBs if he hasn't a high fever and Calpol is enough to help him sleep at night. Might procede with the antihistamine (chloroph--), though. hth.

Thanks everyone. Our own GP rang me back and said that although this may have started off as a virus, it has now moved to his chest and is probably bacterial. He had a bit of a fever last week (though not now) and because this has lasted a while she told me anti's are necessary . Not the way we hoped to deal with it, but I'm no medic so I'll do what she says!

I am sorry I would most definately give ABs if there is indication of infection on the chest.

Chest infections can very quickly turn into pneumonia in young children and the elderly.

DTDs were on triple antibiotic therapy for half of their first 3m and there is no indication that it has done any harm.