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General health

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Original poster

have you ever 'shortened' your child's antibiotic prescription?

20 replies

vannah · 21/02/2008 20:11

my ds (aged 2.5) has 3rd heavy cold/horrendous cough this winter so I took him along to GP who checked him - said all ok, chest clear...but "we might as well give some antibiotics JUST IN CASE - cant do any harm"

I told her its quite hard for me to get him to take medicine, so she has prescribed amoxillin 3 times a day for TEN days. (!)
Is this normal? Im tempted to only give it for 7 - if symptoms clear up. THough I know about the reasons why completing a course is recommended I once met a doctor who said the opposite, that you can stop antibiotics after 3-4 days if the symptoms have cleared up and according to her 'most people dont know that'

Any thoughts?
thankyou

OP posts:

colditz · 21/02/2008 20:13

I don't know enough about how antibiotics and bacterial infections work to start messing about with an individualised prescription for my child, so no, I wouldn't. If in doubt though, I would ring the doctor.

I have stopped a course of antibiotics though, when they were giving ds1 severe stomach ache.

ProfessorGrammaticus · 21/02/2008 20:14

I've always understood that "shortening" is what gives rise to resistance? Does anyone know whether that is right?

PanicPants · 21/02/2008 20:14

It might be quite a low dose spread over a longer period of time.

seeker · 21/02/2008 20:15

I wouldn't have started them in the first place unless there was clear evidence of bacterial infection. I am a bit shocked at the "can't do any harm" remark TBH!

isaidno · 21/02/2008 20:16

Towards the end of a course I have got a bit lax, and perhaps only remembered twice a day instead of 3. The infection has never returned in these cases.

TotalChaos · 21/02/2008 20:21

seeker - I have been told that where there is a viral infection that goes on for more than two weeks, you are at risk of a bacterial infection, so been prescribed antibiotics on that basis.

grumpyfrumpy · 21/02/2008 20:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

artichokes · 21/02/2008 20:22

Finishing the course of antibiotics prescribed for you is really important. If you don't you may contribute to antibiotic resistance which endangers us all.

Even if your LO is feeling better there may still be bacteria present. Stopping taking the antibiotics before they are all eliminated means they have the potential to rapidly multiply and cause the same symptoms again. This rapid multiplication can result in mistakes in their DNA which can lead to resistant bacteria.

seeker · 21/02/2008 20:28

I just think that antibiotics should be reserved for cases where they are really necessary. For two reasons - one, i am worried about antibiotic resistant bacteria and two - I think that it's important for the immune system to be challenged a bit. Not too much - I am very glad I live in a time when antibiotics are available - but I do think that the body is capable of dealing with a lot of minor infections if it's given a chance.

Original poster

vannah · 21/02/2008 20:28

thanks all- wish i hadnt started...

OP posts:

PaulaYatesBiggestFan · 21/02/2008 20:30

at our docs you have to beg for antibiotics - sounds a bit free and easy your way!

Unfitmother · 21/02/2008 20:31

GP sounds mad IMO

seeker · 21/02/2008 20:36

You can buy them over the counter in Spain. My b and sil buy them in bulk when they are there and dole them out to their children at the first hint od a sniffle. I get SOOOOOO cross!

jalopy · 21/02/2008 21:24

Absolutely agree with you, seeker.

PotPourri · 21/02/2008 21:30

If you have already started, finish. Otherwise you can create resistant bugs, which are resistant to that antibiotic. Superbugs have come about due to people not finishing courses of antibiotics. To help prevent a jippy tummy, get those yogurt drinks (yakult). Next time make sure he really needs them to treat something specific before getting them (mind boggling that doctors still prescribe just in case).

ninedragons · 21/02/2008 21:47

Your GP is a stupid cow. When drug-resistant superbugs sweep the world it will be because of people like her who thought that antibiotics could be handed out like Smarties.

dorisofdevon · 21/02/2008 22:07

Have a daughter with CF (cyctic fibrosis) and now on a high horse to any one who asks (or doesn't!)please finish your course, it is people like her(dd) who are most vunerable to resistant strains of bacteria.

This is life and death

Any infection has the potential to damage her lungs and shorten her life

Thanks
Doris

And [shock} at your GP for
just in case

msappropriate · 22/02/2008 07:51

My son had urine infection and he seemed better after a few days and we went on holiday and we forgot a couple of doses by accident. Infection came back and he had high temp for 2 days and slept most of the time. It was realy scary as we were abroad and not many people spoke english where we were

belgo · 22/02/2008 07:57

I diasgree that antibiotics 'won't do any harm'. They always give me thrush, they can cause nasty side effects, and should only be used when they are needed.

Colds are caused by viruses so antibiotics won't help, and if her chest was clear, then it sounds like she didn't need the antibiotics.

stuffitllama · 22/02/2008 08:03

if you start it then finish -- but it sounds like you don't really need to start ..

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