When to give Toddlers Antibiotics?

[Imogene]

This is an original post from: mmoders
I wanted to highlight it, because I know this is a very current topic, as new formulations for medications are being studied at this time, more than ever. Getting it right for our children is of the utmost importance. I know we will be hearing more about this all the time!
Thanks for posting this....

From mmoders on the blogs yesterday


Just wondering when parents decide to give their toddler antibiotics? The CF doctor always prescribes antiobiotics to my grandson who is 18 mo after 3 days of a cold. I am worried that he will eventually become immune to some antiobiotics. If he just has a runny nose with no cough should we just wait it out? If you do, how long do you wait? It's been a week now. He was coughing a little bit some time ago but that has subsided. His runny nose is getting a little better too. The CF doctor prescribed an antibiotic over the phone. He has had one dose of it. My daughter doesn't know what to do. Should she wait it out and just give him the remaining 9 doses. He fights taking it so it is not pleasant to fight with him!

 

[Aboveallislove]

So glad you posted because I was trying to find it to reply!

I know this is so very hard for you, your daughter and grandson and even more so because with CF it is so different than what we are "told" re antibiotics for everyone else. But here's the deal with CF. Their lungs harbor BACTERIA, not virus (that too, but bacteria which an antibiotic attacks.). So the antibiotic isn't for the "cold" per se but for the bacteria they have in their lungs which multiplies during the cold. The bodies immune response is to make more mucus and more mucus gives the bacteria more gunk to grow in. If after 3 days they haven't kicked it completely the antibiotic is doing that. Now I'm assuming your grandson has had a throat culture so they are targeting him with the specific antibiotic that will get the bacteria he has? I also ask for a copy so I can see what he cultures and what it is responsive to. It takes ALOT to get resistant to a bacteria is what the Infection control doctor told us. But it doesn't take much inflammation from the body's natural response coupled with thick mucus to cause damage to lungs. So if the doctor prescribes the antibiotics I'm 100% do it, but make sure she's culturing.
Re the difficulty in giving them. I had the same problem. This link gives step by step instructions. It is hell to get their but with CF since meds are a way of life, easier to establish the expectation now.
http://ellynsatterinstitute.org/fmf/fmf58.php

Also, a few little tricks in doing: Buy in bulk disposable syringes so you don't have to fight to get it in another way or have the meds spit out (or wash the syringes). Let me know if you want a link but you can find good ones at Allegromedical.com. In doing the above approach, you'd have the syringe in front the whole time and as he helps you put in it in his mouth, aim for the middle or back of the inside check so the taste isn't there as much and then do a puff of air on his face as you depress the syringe (the air triggers a swallow reflex). Of course, only if the puffer isn't sick too!

Good luck!

 

[Ratatosk]

Our son is 11 and has been on antibiotics from the beginning. His baseline is also no cough, so when he develops one, we need to determine if it's just habit, post nasal drip or more of a chest/bronchial cough.

His doctor places patients on prophylactic oral antibiotics. Especially with ds in daycare, for use as a preventative. Still, when ds would get ear infections, different bug so another antibiotic would be prescribed for 2 weeks. Different bug, different drug. At one point he couldn't seem to get rid of a persistent sinus infection and the doctor upped the dose and added another week to "get rid of it once and for all". His fear was that the infection could get into his lungs and cause even worse problems. DS has very thick, sticky mucus in his nose which made it very difficult to expel, so a cold can potentially turn into something worse.

Issues with developing resistance can occur when one starts an antibiotic, feels better and stops taking, never quite getting over the infection in the first place. Yes, I'm disappointed when we have to add yet another pill, medication to the mix, but I'd rather have him take a couple extra pills a day than end up with something worse or potentially a hospitalization.