Antibiotics

My son has a bad cold and it has once again flared his Asthma up, I think the brown inhaler stopped it getting too bad too quickly this time, but unfortunately wasn't enough to prevent an attack! Anyway, why is it almost every time we see a dr. with his or his brothers Asthma we come out with Antibiotics along with the oral steroids? If you get admitted to the children's ward, they will not give antibiotics without a temperature, and he does not have a temperature, just as he/his brothers havn't on many other occasions that we have been given them. Does this keep happening to everyone else? I am giving him them just in case as I just want him better. I am not a Dr. but I am sure they are completely unnecessary and we all know it is not good to keep having them all the time.

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hi i have been to the doctors today with my little boy he has had a cold for the past week i have been giving him his blue and brown puffer . today i got given antibiotics again and steroid tablets but my concern is he was only taking antibiotics about 6 weeks ago and like u said when u get admitted to hospital they dont give you antibiotics . but like u i just give it as i want him better.

claire

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Thanks for that claire,

It is so annoying, I now wish I had suggested putting the antibiotics on hold and seeing if the steroids would do the trick on their own, which I am sure they would! I can't understand why we are constantly being told not to over use antibiotics, yet GP's hand them out so frequently for Asthma syptoms. I know with my boys it is always because they notice a crackle louder on one side, but without a temp I don't think they should be given.

He is now coming out with chicken pox, probably connected to the cold he had, and I am worried that the poor thing is on a cocktail of drugs, and hope he can fight the chicken pox ok!

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hi mum2three

Just a quick note as ive just read your last post about your little one possibly getting chicken pox. Id give your consultant or their secretary a call about it if james has had steroids at high doses recently. When i came in contact with chicken pox last year the consultant wanted to make sure i was ok etc as chicken pox can be complicated if you take long term steroids or recently had a course of high dose steroids i believe!

Dont worry as im sure everything will be fine but id call and ask advice as it does say that on the steroid treatment cards you get given alongside the steroids!

Hope that james feels better soon lv kat Xx

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Hi,

I think this might be because the oral steriods can exacerbate infections, so your doctor is probably giving the antibiotics just in case there is actually an underlying chest infection. My guess is that in hospital, they assume that there are enough health professionals around to identify that there's a problem quickly and sort it out, so they don't bother with the ""just in case"" antibiotics. I know its not great to be having more medication all the time, but I'd be doing the same as you and just giving them to make sure he gets better quickly.

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Thanks Klb, at least that helps me understanding about the logic behind it.

Thanks, Kat, I had read about steroids and chicken pox, at first I just thought it was that they have a higher risk of catching it but when I googled it last night I was very worried so I spoke to an emergency doctor who put my mind at rest saying it is usually only people on long term steroids that were at risk of complications. I have also spoken to a gp at our surgery who again said he should be fine and just to keep an eye on him. His identical twin has it too, they have both been on short courses of steroids quite a few times (4or5) since September. They have caught chicken pox of their older brother who had it 2 weeks ago, hoping they get over it as quickly as he did! his spots aren't coming out as quick as his twins so far.

Thanks again!!

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To mum2three

Your welcome, glad you had it checked out by someone qualified and glad they put your mind at rest-hope that the twins do get better quickly!!

Lv Kat Xx