4 year old with green snotty nose, wet cough, fever, Doctor says no to antibioti!
Question: 4 year old with green snotty nose, wet cough, fever, Doctor says no to antibiotics!.!?
My daughter has been sick for 3 days now with a mild fever, very snotty nose (green mucus) and frequently coughing up green mucus!. We went to the after-hours surgery today, and the doctor told me that she didn't like to prescribe antibiotics, as it causes bacterial resistance!. I know my own daughter, and I was concerned enough about her health to take her to an after-hours clinic, wait hours to see the doctor, and pay huge fees!. I resent being told to go home, and see if she gets any better in two days!. I was also told to being her back if I was concerned again!. Is this just a ruse for clinics to make money!? I know doctors don't hand out antibiotics for all, but how sick do you have to be to get them!? Does this sort of thing normally resolve itself in two days!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
The problem is that parents take their children to the doctor and, regardless of the situation, expect to go home with a prescription for antibiotics!. This is the way things have been done for so long now, that we've literally created our very own stockpile of Drug-Resistent Super Bugs!. That's why doctors hesitate to prescribe antibiotics today!.
Let's say your daughter has a really bad cold ~ the common cold is caused by a virus!. In that case, antibiotics won't help her; viruses cannot be cured by antibiotics!. It would be a waste of time and money!. More importantly, we'd be exposing her to antibiotics unnecessarily, potentially letting any bacteria in her system build up an immunity to the drug we're giving her, which she doesn't even need!.
Each time this cycle is repeated, the bacteria get exposed to different antibiotics until they become resistent!. That's how we get Super Bugs ~ like Flesh-Eating Bacteria!. The way to avoid perpetuating the problem is to stop prescribing antibiotics for every sick child unless or until we're absolutely certain an antibiotic is necessary!. It may be inconvenient for you, having to return to the clinic in a couple of days if your daughter is still sick!. But if she's better in a couple of days, and if we've avoided using an antibiotic unnecessarily, think of the bigger risk she may have avoided!. That's one more antibiotic that will be available to her in the future when she really might need it!.
We're all going to have to change our thinking on how and when we use antibiotics from this point forward!. If we don't, Drug Resistent Super Bugs are going to become more prevalent in our lives ~ and they're going to win; they're going to beat us in the battle for supremacy!. We can't make drugs fast enough to keep up with them!.
I'm sorry this has been difficult for you, and I'm sorry your daughter is sick!. Try to understand the doctor's position if you can!. And no, they are not just trying to get more of your money!. Good luck, and I hope she gets better soon!.
MinPinWww@Answer-Health@Com
Let's say your daughter has a really bad cold ~ the common cold is caused by a virus!. In that case, antibiotics won't help her; viruses cannot be cured by antibiotics!. It would be a waste of time and money!. More importantly, we'd be exposing her to antibiotics unnecessarily, potentially letting any bacteria in her system build up an immunity to the drug we're giving her, which she doesn't even need!.
Each time this cycle is repeated, the bacteria get exposed to different antibiotics until they become resistent!. That's how we get Super Bugs ~ like Flesh-Eating Bacteria!. The way to avoid perpetuating the problem is to stop prescribing antibiotics for every sick child unless or until we're absolutely certain an antibiotic is necessary!. It may be inconvenient for you, having to return to the clinic in a couple of days if your daughter is still sick!. But if she's better in a couple of days, and if we've avoided using an antibiotic unnecessarily, think of the bigger risk she may have avoided!. That's one more antibiotic that will be available to her in the future when she really might need it!.
We're all going to have to change our thinking on how and when we use antibiotics from this point forward!. If we don't, Drug Resistent Super Bugs are going to become more prevalent in our lives ~ and they're going to win; they're going to beat us in the battle for supremacy!. We can't make drugs fast enough to keep up with them!.
I'm sorry this has been difficult for you, and I'm sorry your daughter is sick!. Try to understand the doctor's position if you can!. And no, they are not just trying to get more of your money!. Good luck, and I hope she gets better soon!.
MinPinWww@Answer-Health@Com
hayfever =)Www@Answer-Health@Com
usually those symptoms are viral, she has only been sick 3 days, children get 4-10 of these virus's each year, your child's body has to learn to rid itself of these!.!.ie no antibiotics!.!.!.!.even if bacteria is involved your child's body can kill bacteria and should be given the chance to do just that!.
You will always find a doctor willing to toss you an antibiotic to make you happy; but truly, you are not doing your child a favor running to the clinic each time for an antibiotic; I agree with getting your child checked if you are concerned, but if the doctor tells you it is viral, and to give it a couple of weeks then you should do that, some virus's last 6-8 weeks! I would continue to observe and if things change or worsen and you want her rechecked then absolutely do that!.!.!.but take the lead from your doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You will always find a doctor willing to toss you an antibiotic to make you happy; but truly, you are not doing your child a favor running to the clinic each time for an antibiotic; I agree with getting your child checked if you are concerned, but if the doctor tells you it is viral, and to give it a couple of weeks then you should do that, some virus's last 6-8 weeks! I would continue to observe and if things change or worsen and you want her rechecked then absolutely do that!.!.!.but take the lead from your doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Anti biotics only get rid of a bacterial infection not virus's, which is probably the cause of your childs illness!. It's not very nice but coughs and colds are pretty common and as long as your child isn't seriously ill such as, having problems breathing or very high temp which you can't get to come down, then it's best just to make them as comfortable as you can and make sure they drink plenty of juice and water!. Keep an eye on the cough too, if it starts sounding different, like a deep barking sort of noise, then call the doctor back!. Good luck, hope your wee girl feels better soon xxxWww@Answer-Health@Com
He probably thinks that it is a virus that is causing her symptoms!. Viral illnesses will clear up on their own and will not be helped by antibiotics which only help against bacterial infection!.
The reason he wants you to go back if she doesn't get better is that when you have a viral illness of this type you can sometimes afterwards get a bacterial infection of the chest which will require antibiotics!. However I wouldn't worry about that unless her symptoms last for more than two weeks!. (They usually last for about a week but can be a bit longer)
I hope that helped!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
The reason he wants you to go back if she doesn't get better is that when you have a viral illness of this type you can sometimes afterwards get a bacterial infection of the chest which will require antibiotics!. However I wouldn't worry about that unless her symptoms last for more than two weeks!. (They usually last for about a week but can be a bit longer)
I hope that helped!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It sounds like your daughter has a viral infection and antibiotics will do no good whatsoever!. When antibiotics are prescribed to people who don't need them, this leads to bacterial resistance, meaning that in the future they won't work for the people who really do need them!.
When you say "how sick do you have to be to get them!?", I would answer: you have to be sick with a BACTERIAL infection!.
Surely you don't want your daughter to take a medicine when she doesn't have any need for it!? Antibiotics can cause diarrhoea and all sorts of other side effects!. This illness should clear up on its own!.
Hope she is well again soon!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
When you say "how sick do you have to be to get them!?", I would answer: you have to be sick with a BACTERIAL infection!.
Surely you don't want your daughter to take a medicine when she doesn't have any need for it!? Antibiotics can cause diarrhoea and all sorts of other side effects!. This illness should clear up on its own!.
Hope she is well again soon!.Www@Answer-Health@Com