To Give or Not to Give: Antibiotics

yes, I would take the antibiotic, but you should see if you could get it changed to a better tasting one. If zithromax will work, that is the one I would request, you only have to give it to them for 5 days, and its only once a day, so if you do have to force it..its much easier! Or, ask for a shot. Again, painful, crying, fit most likely, but its only once:) You dont want her to end up with pneumonia or something, so do be careful with this one. Good luck ~A.~

Fot bronquitis i will force her to take it because it maybe worst next week and she can be in the hospital

Hi U.,

There are many home remedies that people use instead of using antibiotics all the time.

You can roast garlic and spread it on toast. Garlic is said to be nature's antibiotic.

Also, since the digestive tract is one of the most important lines of defense - make sure she is taking acidophilous either in yogurt or straight in a dairy free form available at Whole Food, Sprouts, Newflower.

Make sure kids with drainage and lung congestion sleep propped up on pillows! This allows the fluid to drain naturally rather than pool in the lungs and sinus passages.

Finally - get a Nettie Pot - you fill it with warm saline water and wash the nasal passages. This is supposed to be extremely helpful in clearing sinusses and fighting allergies.

I hope this is helpful!

S. M.
www.cerebellumcenter.com

We have not used antibiotics to treat illness in over 3 years. There are other alternatives. The one I've had the most success with is Super Silver (an oxygenated silver solution). You can order it online. It has no taste (looks and tastes like water) and no, you will not turn blue/silver from use.

That being said, my son had an abscessed area on his gum. We used it successfully to treat and the infected area went away. However, we apparently discontinued use too soon (antibiotics are about 10 days, this, depending on the severity, is 10-30 days -- and the mouth is hard to treat), the infection was still in the mouth and just moved to another area. So this time, we are treating with antibiotics, along with having the abscess drained. Not that the abscess has anything to do with your needs, but I guess I'm saying There is nothing wrong with taking antibiotics when necessary. If she doesn't like the taste, have a pharmacist change the flavor. We had like 10 choices to choose from (ended up with bubble gum). I don't know if there is Publix in your area, but they give the antibiotics FREE so you wouldn't have to pay.

The Super Silver is a great alternative, but like the antibiotics, you have to take it regularly and for an extended period. Bronchitis can get pretty serious especially with a 4 yo. You may want to stick with the antibiotics.

my suggestion would be to make the child take the meds. bronchitis is nothing to mess around with. she is FOUR, you CAN and MUST be forceful with her at times, some things are just not up for discussion when it comes to dealing with children. at 4, i'd tell her "take this in your mouth, or we will go back to the doctor TODAY and get a shot, and it will hurt" - then follow through. but honestly, a shot isn't gonna be as effective as an oral antibiotic over an extended period of time. my answer for "how" would be different with a 1 or 2 year old, but with a 4 year old, i'd say "it's time for your medicine, would you like it in a spoon or a dropper? okay, open up"... i'd give her one chance, then i'd have daddy(or you) physically hold her down on her back, the other adult put it in her mouth, and wait til she swallows. she needs to understand that this is serious and not optional. good luck :)

I understand your concern about antibiotics, and how some people overuse them. Obviously, you don't, so it seems that your child will benefit from it. Bronchitis can be very serious. It's hard to get a toddler to take them - if a few drops spill out, at least she's getting the benefit of the majority of the medication. I am all for homeopathic remedies, but I don't feel that bronchitis is one of those to take a chance with, especially with flu season. Did you try one of the options with a flavored medicine?

A dropper rather than a spoon is easier.

are there alternatives? sure, but for bronchitis, i'd force the medicine down her throat. i've seen it take out grown ups for weeks. do you really want to risk it getting worse than needed?

If she has a bacterial bronchitus, she needs the antibiotics. It will definately get worse without it. If she doesn't take it all, the bronchitus may come back. If she continues to do that with antibiotics, those antibiotics may not work at all for her in the future. That could cause her to have a life threatening infection sometime. So, as the adult/parent, you need to convince her that this is necessary and follow through. There are various tricks to help make it taste better if it is liquid. Your pharmacist can tell you which ones are right for that medication. They have flavors to add. Some pills can be crushed, some not. Overall, it is to her advantage and yours to teach her to be a big girl and take what is very necessary for her to get well. You say you don't blame her so perhaps you have the same problem. Perhaps your mom had the same issues and passed those fears down to you. If so, break the generational circle of fear. Be confident, consistent, and motivational. Pretend at first and you'll sell yourself eventually.