Antibiotics

True story, fictional name

Jules is 24 months old when his parents realize that he has swallowed no less than 19 antibiotic prescriptions since he was born

Situations like this are not uncommon. There are several possible reasons for this situation. But is your child "addicted" to antibiotics? If several of the following statements apply to your situation, your child may be taking too many antibiotics!

1. At the slightest sign of fever, you rush to a medical clinic.
2. You urge the doctor to prescribe antibiotics.
3. You think you have seen a bad doctor when he has not prescribed antibiotics for your child and you go to see another doctor.
4. You believe that antibiotics cure everything and you feel relieved when your child finally takes antibiotics.
5. When nasal secretions become colored, antibiotics are absolutely necessary.
6. You rarely go to the same doctor or go to the same clinic.
7. You don't finish the antibiotic prescription until the end.
8. Your child needs to take several rounds of antibiotics before they recover.
9. Your child can no longer cope without antibiotics, even for mild infections.
10. By the way, how much did your child swallow?antibiotic prescriptions since birth? Do you really know? You might be surprised?

What are antibiotics for?

Antibiotics are used to kill or slow the growth of bacteria only, viruses are not susceptible to antibiotics. On the one hand, we can say that antibiotics "help" the immune system to do its job in very specific cases. Normally, the immune system has to fight germs on its own without antibiotics.

When should antibiotics be taken?

The doctor, by making a diagnosis, determines whether your child may need antibiotics. It is the history of the infection that will tell the doctor the right medicine to give. Most infections are viral and do not require antibiotics. You must therefore provide the doctor with the clearest possible information.

Why restrict taking antibiotics?

Although antibiotics are very effective, over time bacteria become resistant to some or all of the antibiotics! To maintain effective weapons over the next few years against really serious infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, septicemia or flesh-eating bacteria, it is necessary to rationalize the taking of antibiotics. The doctors therefore had instructions in this regard.

What will we do then to cure without antibiotics?

Don't worry, antibiotics are still commonly used, but are now usedwith more discernment. As a parent, it will take an effort to accept that the child defends itself against germs, that this process takes some time (about a week), that there are several inconveniences (fever, cough, runny nose, headaches, etc.) and that a quick fix, antibiotics, is not necessarily the best for your child!

My child is addicted, what should I do?

Determine first if it's your child who is "addicted" or if YOU are "addicted". If statements 1 to 7 correspond to your situation, the problem is probably yours. You are pro-antibiotics! A little pill and he will be cured quickly! You need your child to take antibiotics to feel well. Learn to live with the reactions of your child's immune system, trust your doctor and respect his diagnosis! If statements 8 and 9 correspond to your situation, it is possible that your child is more fragile and that his immune system is not doing its job as well. You can help him by allowing him to eat well, especially rest, keeping him away from stress, reducing his exposure to germs and taking care of your child when he has an infection. The hours of waiting in clinics for an antibiotic prescription at all costs, so spend them cradling and pampering your child warm at home, it's longer and more difficult, but often as effective asantibiotics. If your child needs to take antibiotics, don't worry, but follow the prescription exactly, it's very important, if it's 10 days, it's 10 days!