# are antibiotics bad for babies?



## tiger

ok jesse had a chest infection a few months ago and the hospital absolutely refused to give him antibiotics because they said that antibiotics are not good for babies, and can have long term effects.
My sil's LO is only 12 months old and has been prescribed antibiotics 11 times (yes 11!!!) and all for colds or flus? i didnt think this was safe so many times in such a little baby? he had his first lot when he was 2months old for a sniffly nose !!?! 
ive tried asking her to research it, but she just yells at me. im not saying she shouldnt give them to him but to research the effects? i mean they r only colds ? 
at the moment her LO is struggling to breathe, but no runny nose or anything, just like when hes playing alot etc like asthma, which i read can be linked to continous use of antibiotics?
i know that its her baby and she can do with him what she wishes, but i was just wondering why they wouldnt give jesse antibiotics for a chest infection then? he had had it for 4 weeks when i took him to the hospital and had it for another 2 months after that and they still wouldnt do anything ?


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## PrayinForBaby

i tend to hear mixed things about antibiotics for babies really...i think if its something deserving of antibiotics (not just a cold) then they should have them...I think too many antibiotics make babies resistant to them so when they really need them they wont work. My LO is 11 months old today and is on antibiotics for the first time for her first ear infection.


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## mrs_park

I don't want to start a debate on here but I am very much against anti biotics. I know they have their place for serious infections, but I believe doctors give them all too willingly. While they kill the 'bad' bacteria in the body, they also kill the 'good' bacteria.

My little brother was very sicky as a baby and got a lot of ear infections and as a result was given lots of anti biotics and as a result developed candida and lots of allergies.

Obviously I wouldn't refuse antibiotics for Isaac if it put him in any danger, but if I'm ever put in the position, I would explore all other options such as homeopathy before resulting to antibiotics. Just my humble opinion...


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## tu123

I dont think they should be given to treat a cold. There are too many cold viral strains about so most antibiotics wouldnt treat anyway. Could your SIL baby had a chest infection and not a cold?

My baby had antibotics for 5 days when she was born as she was showing signs of blood infection. If left untreated she could have been fataly ill.

She also had them a month ago for a severe bowel and bladder infection for which she was hospitalized.

They can save lives. Their effectiveness decreases if they are dished about too much.


I would hope that a gp/hospital would prescribe them when neccessary.


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## lylasmummy

Someone I know was given lots of anti biotics for her LO cos she was such a worrier, her LO is now about 3 and has to have flouride painted onto her teeth once a month cos it's damaged her teeth


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## anna matronic

How can antibiotics help a cold? A cold is a virus and antibiotics do nothing to cure a virus :shrug:

Evan was prescribed antibiotics when he was 8 weeks old because he had such servere conjunctivitis his eye was glued shut within a few minutes of bathing it. The doctor said he's never seen a case so bad in such a tiny baby and after the dose his eye didn't glue up again!

We know that prolonged antibiotic use renders them less effective, so I think they should only be prescribed to anyone (babies/children/adults) only when absolutely necessary.

I am allergic to penicillin so can only have antibiotics.


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## tiger

my LO has never been on antibiotics for anything, even his chest infection so im unsure why they prescribed them? apparently because he had a severely runny nose and was a bit fluey? 
im not against antibiotics if they are really needed but i search other avenues first like pain relief etc if its just a flu, stuffy nose or anything


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## anna matronic

When Lo gets a runny nose it's just tough :rofl: Antibiotics aren't gonna do anything to help that, the body will start building up immunities to the meds!!!

Shame your friend has such a pill happy doctor :(


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## tiger

i agree :( she thinks her LO needs them. i wish some doctors would be much more careful, especially with babies


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## supertabby

Antibiotics only treat infections, they do nothing against viruses. Colds and flu are viruses so antibiotics shouldn't be given but I think there are still some doctors out there who will give antibiotics to keep worried patients happy.

I don't think there's anything wrong with using antibiotics if a baby has an infection, however I'm guessing frequent use for no good reason is probably not a good thing.

Overuse of antibiotics in general is damaging to us all - doctors have started to be more careful about prescribing them as they become less effective the more they are used - as a population, not just individuals, as the infection becomes more resistant when infecting other people. I had a sinus infection at Christmas and was given a prescription but asked by doctor to wait a couple of days before starting in case in improved by itself, the same thing was told to hubby for an ear infection and a friend with a chest infection.. all 3 different doctors.


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## supertabby

Antibiotics can also make you more susceptible to thrush, as the good bacteria that helps keep thrush at bay gets killed as well as the infection. Isobel and I had thrush so bad it almost put an end to bf, I had antibiotics when she was born as I had a c-section, so that probably contributed (and I was using antibacterial handwash and hand gel which again probably killed off some of my good bacteria but I didn't think about it).


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## 08marchbean

i worry about this too as my LO has had them quite a few times, for ear infections chest infections and tonsillitus, i really dont want her on them but she gets recurrent chest infections since she had bronchiolitis when she was tiny :(


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## Cattia

When Abigail was 13 weeks old she had suspected meningitis and was on IV antibiotics for two days. She was OK luckily buy afterwards I put her on baby pro biotics for two weeks. Antibiotics are really important to treat infections that are serious or where complications may develop if left untreated but they should not be used unless they are really necessary as the over use of antibiotics is causing many infections that are antibiotic resistant. Certainly they should not be used for a cold as a cold is viral so they will have no effect unless it had turned into a chest or throat infection.


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## iceylou

i know a few doctors who would prescribe antibiotics for everything and i mean everything. 

my doctor (when i was young) would always tell my mum unless its a chest or ear infection than no antibiotics.


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## blinkybaby

I've had terrible problems with candida infestation from overuse of antibiotics in the past so I dread to think what the effects would be in such a young baby. Louie has been prescribed them once because he had a lump in his testicle and the doctor wanted to try them first before using more invasive methods. Luckily it went with just the AB's.

xx


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## jensonsmummy

My Lo is 14 months and has had antibiotics quite a lot, like 10-11 times, all for ear infections. As much as i dont like him having them, he needs them as his wee ears just get worse if left untreated. He is however on a waiting list to get ear vents in which will hopefully sort it out. Hes never had to get antibiotics for anything else, and has had the cold quite a bit


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## lozzy21

If there actualy needed then no their not bad but if there given for every little sniffle then yes they are bad.


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## special_kala

Over use of antibiotics is bad as they become less effective and cause thrush.

I wouldnt accept them for a cold...its completly the wrong kind of treatment


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## Mizze

Cattia said:


> When Abigail was 13 weeks old she had suspected meningitis and was on IV antibiotics for two days. She was OK luckily buy afterwards I put her on baby pro biotics for two weeks.* Antibiotics are really important to treat infections that are serious or where complications may develop if left untreated but they should not be used unless they are really necessary as the over use of antibiotics is causing many infections that are antibiotic resistant. Certainly they should not be used for a cold as a cold is viral so they will have no effect unless it had turned into a chest or throat infection.*

WSS

Mizze x


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## tiger

thanks ladies. any idea how i can talk to her without coming across as preaching ?


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## Mizze

tiger said:


> thanks ladies. any idea how i can talk to her without coming across as preaching ?

That is damn hard and frankly I dont know -because her Dr is the one in the wrong here and its hard to point out that the medical professional is either a) incompetant or b) is fobbing her off which stuff which doesnt work and classing her as an over anxious Mum. 

Wish I could be more constructive but its hard to get the tone right without her coming back with "but the Dr wouldnt do it if it didnt work" etc.

Sorry!

Mizze xx


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## tiger

thats the response i got the first time. quote "i have been seeing this doctor since he was born and he wouldnt give me something if it was dangerous or he didnt need it "


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