A top British health official,
has stated that,
antibiotic resistant germs,
now pose a “catastrophic threat”.
Why am I telling you?
Because we are the people causing this to happen.
From the moment we have our baby,
we worry about “germs”.
Antibacterial wipes for every surface,
We see danger everywhere.
Sterilize everything.
Soothers, bottles, teats, cups, teething rings.
We even try to ensure our babies bums are clean.
A feat at odds with nature!
Despite all our efforts,
our babies get sick.
The high temperature,
The runny nose,
the sore ear,
the sore throat.
The cough that has gone on for days.
The crying and disturbed sleeps.
Most parents rush to the doctor,
at the first sign of a fever.
It’s an emergency.
Our baby is “sick”.
Lethargic, miserable, irritable, in pain.
We queue up, sometimes for quite some time,
to be told,
the life threatening emergency,
is a sore ear.
But, the doctor tells us,
It’s very nasty!
Once we hear this,
we are sure,
without question,
an antibiotic is essential.
But was it?
Printed on the Mayo Clinic Website,
are a list of common viruses which,
should not be treated by antibiotics.
They are
Bronchitis
Colds
Flu (influenza)
Most coughs
Most ear infections
Most sore throats
Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)
The infections which can and should be treated by antibiotics are,
Bacterial infections
Bladder infections
Many wound and skin infections, such as staph infections
Severe sinus infections that last longer than 2 weeks
Some ear infections
Strep throat
But surely the doctor knows best?
We trust our doctors.
However many doctors feel pressurized,
into prescribing an antibiotic.
One of the reasons given is “patient expectation”.
Parents are both working,
A sick child means time off work.
The GP feels obligated to prescribe.
I know also of many GPs, who always give antibiotics,
to every patient with a sore ear or sore throat.
I have freinds who have changed GPs,
because they were not inclined to give antibiotics!
My very unofficial study into the benefits of antibiotics,
has been based on my own family.
We have a reasonable standard of living,
and eat a relatively healthy diet.
A point worth noting is the last two children,
do not eat any fruit except an apple,
and veg to them is tinned corn!
However my results are,
My eldest has had no antibiotic for 17 years,
My son for 14 yrs
My daughter has never had an antibiotic She is 16 years old,
My youngest aged 11 had her first this year for a strep throat.
Am I just very lucky?
No I am not very lucky.
They get sick like everyone else.
I just give them symptom relieving medicine,
and wait for them to get better.
Admittedly sometimes “anxiously” wait.
The upside of all this,
is that now they are older,
they are very rarely sick.
I often wonder is this because,
they have over time,
built their own bug busting army,
not an imported one out of a bottle.
Why should we care?
There are more and more antibiotic resistant bugs emerging.
We are very close,
to returning to a pre antibiotic world.
Imagine a time in the near future,
when your child may become sick,
and no medicine can cure them?
You watch as the bug,
overwhelms them!
This is a very real possibility.
What can we do?
Parents are sourcing organic food,
encouraging exercise,
and trying hard to ensure the good health of their children.
I am just suggesting that if your child is sick,
Look at the list.
Ask yourself “Is an antibiotic really necessary”.
Remember
“Your cold will last seven days,
but with this antibiotic you’ll be better in a week!”
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photo credit: Auntie P via photopin cc
photo credit: World Bank Photo Collection via photopin cc
My thoughts on a page. 
I am careful about antibiotics. I sometimes see that kids who are from poorer areas are healthier (in some ways). Why? Because their parents can afford to rush off to the Doctor. They gain immunity. I treat fevers with vitamin c. I let their bodies fight for them and strengthen them.
Ye. I’m actually quite mean to my kids. Sometimes when they say I’m an awful nurse I say “Have you a terminal illness? No, Well then your not really sick!”. It drives them wild! ha ha. But they love me really!
I agree, it drives me crazy to see antibiotics run so rampant. Rarely do I give my kids antibiotics, in fact I don’t often take them to the doctor because there’s not usually much they can do and I tend to throw away antibiotic prescriptions unless someone has strep.
I think some parents are quite nervous of illness and do not like to see their children suffer. However I do think it seems to be getting out of hand.
I don’t know much about this but isn’t it the case that when you have a jab at school when you are a kid to protect you against some disease or other, the way it works is that you are exposed to a mild form of the disease – not enough to make you proper ill, but enough to mobilise your body’s natural defense mechanisms so that if you are exposed to a virulent form of the disease later you will be better able to resist it’s ill effects because your body will have already developed natural anti-bodies to fight the disease?
Better then to let kids play rough, get dirty, eat earwigs and worms, bounce germs off one another, etc., because in that way they are building up natural defences/immunities to later diseases. Whereas if we are over protective, bring them up in a sterile environment, treat every ailment with anti-biotics, for example, we do them more harm than good by denying their bodies the opportunity to develop/strengthen their own natural resistance to germs and disease ?
For a man who knew little you seem to have got it in one! I have to agree but sadly we seem to be in the minority. I don’t think parents choose antibiotics its just that doctors offer them and so parents begin to expect them.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is a serious problem here too. I used to get ear infections all the time as a swimmer, and never once got prescribed oral antibiotics for them. I was instructed to keep the ear dry and use some topical drops or some crap to treat the soreness. Now it seems like kids get ear infections requiring prescriptions all the time.
My daughter is almost two, and we have never even had an unscheduled doctor’s visit yet. Go figure.
Its good to find out we do something right. Even if it is “neglecting” our sick child! Ha ha.
This is the most terrifying evolution. I am glad you posted this.
Thank you. And thanks for reblogging.
Very useful and accurate information. Due to the population’s abuse of antibiotics, there are more and more multi drug resistant organisms. We are setting ourselves up for a super bug. And then, we will be in deep doo doo
Yep. Return of the bad old days! Thanks for the visit and comment.
Thank you for posting this! This is a topic demands more awareness! It is terrifying how quickly antibiotic resistance is spreading. I hope others will heed your wise advice.
Thanks. I have watched so many of my friends go to the doctor and get antibiotics when I am sure they didn’t need them. But you will do as your doctor says.