6mth old has ear infection - why do you not give antibiotics to treat?

[sleepdeprivationandme]

6mth old been seen by GP this morning - diagnosis ear infection in right ear. She gave me a prescription for antibiotics, explaining that they are not always given for ear infections and I should hold off 24/48hrs to see if any improvement.

I am so tired. ds1 just getting over big chest infection. now ds2 gets this. i dont think fora minute I am safe to drive I am so tired. the thought of more nights of being up with porly little ones does not fill me with much joy. Past 2 nights I hve slept on sofa, ds2 in pram in a sitting position - blocks under cot not working.

Why would you not give antibiotics? I dont understand - should have asked! Do I give the antibiotics anyway or wait.

Will someone who is reasonably knowledgeable and well rested decide for me.

oh please help

I hate it when doctors do this. They're the docot, they should decide.

Basically the infection could be due to a virus, in which case antibiotics won't help. He must think that there is a high chnace antibiotics would be useful though, otherwise he wouldn't have prescribed them.

If he is really ill, that is clearly in pain and not sleeping, then I would probably start the antibiotics.

I mean she not he. sorry for the typos.

She probably want syou to hold off as many ear infections are viral, not bacterial and therefore do not need antibiotics. She will suggest you wait to see if it starts to clear on its own, which will probably happen if it is viral. Personally, I'd be using the antibioticcs straight away out of desperation, btu as a doc she will want to discourage the use of abs due to the growth of resistant bacteria. Has lo had calpol etc? Try pain relief first. Also, baby ibuprofen - check with chemist.
hth!

Also, wine for mummy!

I had this more than once. For ear infections. I can clearly remember that once I totally ignored gp's advice to wait 24 hrs before giving ab and gave it straight away as dc had been miserable for too long. On other occasions I waited and the ab weren't needed. I think that if he's had a temp for more than 3/4 days, I'd probably get the antibiotics

good idea nicky. I gve him some medised last night as he also is a bit chesty/snotty which is why I took him to GP - I did expect chest inf like ds1 but oh no flipping ears + antibiotic dilema!

Yes, agree with NTT, ibuprofen is a great pain relief. would try that first as well.

I am a microbiologist and used to get very het up about unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics (resulting in antibiotic-resistant bugs). First time ds had an ear infection, the gp did the same as yours - I was so exhausted and worried about ds I went to the chemist on the way home and started the course that night. Principles abandonned. Just remember though if you do start the antibiotics it's very important to finish the course, even if your ds is better.

Agree with ntt, ibuprofen always seems to work better for us than calpol.

how is he, sleepdeprived?

I'm not sure if I believe that starlight (sorry!). I have a close family member with sever hearing loss due to untreated ear infections as a child.

But i'm not a doctor, I haven't done any reasearch into this, so can't say anything for certain.

I've seen a 6mthold child through ear infection without antibiotics. It is definitely tiring but you know, we didn't have another bout ever. We didn't give any Calpol and let the temperature do the job. But letting the temp rise is quite nerve-wracking. It was my third dc so I was a bit more used to judging temps and illness by then.

Starlight I was told that by my gp with my first babe didn't put it into practice untl third time round! (and he was right and that was 11 years ago)

stuffit, i understand no abs but why no calpol?

Starlight is right on this one- there's lots of research been done into this. Treating ear infections immediately with ABs doesn't reduce the duration of pain or earache symptoms in the child. It only marginally reduces the duration of fever and long-term complications.

The most important treatment is pain relief given regularly and fluids.

It is considered to be 'best practice' by GPs to offer a delayed script for ABs for ear infections to allow for time to do the trick (if its viral) and prevent over-exposure to unnecessary ABs (remember there is a risk of side effects, allergies and drug resisitance).

Starlight is right - research has shown that antibiotics rarely improve the recovery rate and outcome of simple ear infections.

This page here explains it quite well.

We advise regular painkillers (eg ibuprofen appropriate for the child's age - some mixtures aren't suitable for under ones) and holding off on antibiotics unless the symptoms persist.

Miss Haversham.. because it suppresses fever which is a key weapon in the immune system's battle against infection and generating more white blood cells etc.

Not a choice lots of people would make but I know I'm not the only one! We use paracetamol only as a painkiller and if we've got temp we don't take it.

Snap Sidge!

suffitmama -but what do you do if you have a temperature and pain at the same time?

What would you do if you had a child prone to febrile convulsions?

I'm not up for an argument. Most people do, some people don't. Things last longer if you suppress the fever, generally.

I've never had a child prone to febrile convulsions, so I don't know. The only information I've gathered about febrile convulsions is that the spikes happen very suddenly and without warning, not the sort of rise one gets like this with infection, but as I say, I don't really know.

I'm not dogmatic about it, the way some people are dogmatic about using it. You judge each situation as it comes up. It's not like we don't have paracetamol in the house. Each to her own!

I'm not up for an arguement either (I never argue on mumsnet) - I just ask questions because I'm interested

Oh jolly good.. sorry I sensed a bit of criticism.

Yes it's just something I read about. Put it into practice when I had a tropical disease too, and believe it helped shorten the duration. I don't just practise on my children! And I do watch them v v carefully of course when temps rising.