Are antibiotics harmful?

Ever since my 3-year-old started preschool this fall, she’s already been slapped with antibiotics twice.
First off, she was on Zithromax—just one spoonful a day for three days—to deal with this cough that dragged on for a month. I can't even give her syrups because she just vomits them right back up.
Then, fast forward two weeks, she gets an ear infection, we end up in the ER, and she’s prescribed Kevin for 14 days, twice a day.

Is this getting out of hand? Are these things actually doing permanent damage? 😕

I’m not an expert by any means, but—subjectively speaking—I feel like that might be overkill. Kevin is incredibly potent (seriously, it hits hard)—it can really wear you down. In fact, a few years back, I couldn't even finish my own course because the side effects were just too much; I ended up skipping doses not because of the infection itself, but because of how the antibiotic felt. If they handed out Kevin at the ER (I'm not entirely sure how their protocols work there...), then you should definitely take your little one back to see her regular pediatrician instead.

And please, make sure to stop by the pharmacy for a good probiotic, and ensure she eats a decent meal before taking the pill. It would be highly advisable to stick to probiotics or dairy products with added cultures for a while after the treatment ends, especially since this stuff can really irritate the stomach lining and mess with the gut—and since she's still so small, we have to be careful.

coppergardener said:I’m not an expert here, but honestly, I think that's overkill. Kevin is powerful—like, seriously strong—and it really wipes you out. A few years back, I couldn't even finish my own course because the side effects were just too much. I didn't stop because of the infection; I stopped because the antibiotic was wrecking me. If they handed out Kevin at the ER (not sure how their protocol works there...), then you definitely need to get that kid back to her regular pediatrician.

And make sure you grab a probiotic from the pharmacy, and have her eat something solid before the pill. It's probably best to stick to probiotics or yogurt with added cultures for a while after the treatment ends, since this stuff can really irritate the lining and mess with the gut—especially since she's just a little thing.

Where am I supposed to buy a probiotic? And how do you even give it to them? My little one won't touch syrup, juice, or tea—she'll throw up anything I try to force down her throat! Should I just give her those yogurts with LGG?

The pediatrician said everything looked fine 🙄, but still suggested we head over to the Omaha ENT in the Vineyard area, and they ended up giving her an antibiotic after diagnosing a severe ear infection.

I'm not entirely certain about the exact timing for administration—I believe it's before meals, according to the instructions—and they come in capsule form. You can find various brands at any local pharmacy, such as Align or Culturelle. If she’s willing to eat yogurt, that’s always an option too. There are all sorts of varieties available; most are those little single-serve bottles (which, admittedly, tend to be a bit pricier 🙂), but then there are the more potent versions sold exclusively in pharmacies—something a bit "stronger," I suppose—like this one: http://com4.runboard.com/bforumcruc.f7.t60 or perhaps this: http://www.vitality.com. I believe probiotics can also be purchased in powder form, though I must admit I'm not particularly well-versed in those specific products—my experience is mostly limited to the common brands like Align or Culturelle. You might find this forum thread helpful; it covers quite a bit regarding probiotics:

edit: No, wait—actually, yes, they CAN be obtained in powder form.😁

coppergardener said:I honestly can't remember if you take it before meals or what—the instructions say one thing, but it's in capsule form...

Thanks a ton! 😘

I feel like Zithromax gets thrown around way too casually these days. Honestly, there are plenty of much better antibiotic options out there for dealing with upper respiratory infections...

Look, prescribing any kind of antibiotic—even Zithromax—just because someone’s had a cough for two weeks is total nonsense. Don't get me wrong, if you've got an ear infection, you need treatment, and Zithromax is usually the go-to, though Kevin works most of the time too. But fourteen days? That's just overkill.

In general, pediatricians hand out way too many antibiotics. Only about 10% of upper respiratory infections are actually bacterial, yet it feels like at least half of them end up with a prescription. A red throat doesn't automatically mean you need meds! You shouldn't even be diagnosing pneumonia without an X-ray. But honestly, it's just easier for the doctors at the clinic to scribble a script than to deal with sending a patient to the lab or getting an X-ray done... then they have to follow up anyway.

Just venting a little, sorry... I've just seen it happen way too often lately.

Parents shouldn't be pushing for their kids to "get something" either. It would be much better if they insisted on a blood test or a CRP check instead. That's how you actually cut down on all this unnecessary antibiotic use.

Benjamin Murphy2 said:Look, prescribing any antibiotic—even Zithromax—for a cough that’s been hanging around for two weeks is just plain nonsense. On the flip side, you definitely have to treat an ear infection, and while Zithromax is usually the go-to, Kevin works most of the time too. But fourteen days? That's way too long!

The bottom line is that pediatricians overprescribe antibiotics far too often. Only about 10% of upper respiratory infections are actually bacterial, yet it feels like at least half of them end up with a prescription. A red throat isn't an automatic ticket to antibiotics! And you shouldn't be diagnosing pneumonia without an X-ray. But honestly, it's just easier for pediatricians—and even general practitioners—to scribble a script than to deal with the hassle of sending a patient for lab work or an X-ray and then having to follow up later.

Sorry for the ranting, I didn't mean to blow off steam, but I've seen it happen way too many times.

Parents need to stop demanding "something" for their kids, too. It would be much better if they insisted on getting a CBC and CRP test instead. That’s how you actually cut down on unnecessary antibiotic use.

What should we get tested for? I'd have to take her to a private clinic for blood work.
She had blood drawn at the ER last Thursday, November 1st. Her white blood cell count was elevated at 12.4 (the normal range is 3.80–12.00). The pediatrician at the ER said it’s the start of an infection and that the numbers will likely climb.

Should I give her Kevin for 10 days?

As for the coughing, she’s been coughing for over a month. She hasn't taken any syrup because she vomits whenever she tries (she can't stand the stuff), which led to her coughing for an hour straight every night. After seeing those blood results, the doctor prescribed Zithromax following that nighttime coughing spell.

I'm mostly on the same page as Benjamin Murphy2, except when it comes to sending a kid for an X-ray. If a doctor actually knows how to listen to lungs properly, you usually don't even need one. You should definitely get a CRP test done, though—that’s really the best way to tell if you're dealing with a virus or a bacterial infection...

Look, chest X-rays are basically the gold standard when you're trying to pin down pneumonia. If there aren't any infiltrates on the X-ray, then you don't have pneumonia. Period. Honestly, an ear infection can be such a liar... I’ve been in situations where I was positive I could hear crackles in someone's lungs, only for the X-ray to come back totally clear.

Sure, if those white blood cell counts are over 12, they're definitely elevated, but nobody's arguing that an ear infection needs antibiotics. Personally, I'd just put her on them for ten days. That should be plenty of time.

Oh, and one more thing... A lot of labs out here just spit out the total white blood cell count without giving you the full differential—you know, the part that shows the actual ratios of different types of leukocytes. That can be really misleading, especially when you're dealing with kids.

My kids often didn't get prescribed an antibiotic right away, and almost every single time we ended up having to rush back to the pediatrician within two or three days because things had taken a turn for the worse, and that's when they'd finally prescribe the medication... honestly, I know so many other families where the situation escalated until the kids ended up hospitalized, and if you ask me, I'd much rather deal with an antibiotic at home than have them stuck in a hospital bed.

Yeah, well, not until they finish breeding all those antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains... then you'll see how much fun we're having.

My son hasn't even touched antibiotics unless it was for an ear infection, scarlet fever, or cellulitis. I’ve never once reached for them just to clear up some respiratory thing.

My daughter was throwing up so much this morning that there was just no way I could get her to take the antibiotic. I gave her some chamomile tea instead, and she’s finally sleeping now.

How should I handle the rest of the doses? She was supposed to take them at 9:00 AM and then again at 9:00 PM. Should I just stick to the regular schedule and give it to her at 21:00, or would it be better to give it to her earlier? 😕

Benjamin Murphy2 said:cellulitis

So, how did this even happen?

Olivia Ruiz said:My daughter was throwing up so much this morning—I just couldn't get her to keep any antibiotics down. I gave her some chamomile tea instead and she’s finally sleeping now.

How should I handle the rest of the doses? She was supposed to take them at 9 AM and 9 PM. Should I just wait until the usual 9 PM slot, or should I try giving it to her earlier? 😕

Just give it to her at 9 PM. Don't mess around with the timing—shifting the schedule like that can throw off how the medicine actually works in her system.

When it comes to probiotics, I’d personally suggest trying Cecil from Pfizer. I’m not entirely sure how old the little ones are, so you might want to double-check with your local pharmacist just to be safe. As for me—I recently dealt with a nasty sinus infection that required a round of antibiotics... and let's just say my gut flora took quite a hit. I really felt the aftermath of that one. Luckily, I stumbled upon this, and things settled down pretty quickly once I started taking it.🙂

Benjamin Murphy2 said:Look, a chest X-ray is the gold standard for spotting pneumonia. No infiltrate on the X-ray means no pneumonia.

Nah.
Pneumonia is a clinical diagnosis—think cough, fever, what the doctor hears through the stethoscope. You don't always see an infiltrate in the early stages. Plus, those shadows can linger on an X-ray even after the infection is totally gone.
An X-ray isn't strictly necessary to call it pneumonia.

Emily Fisher26 said:Regarding probiotics,

As for probiotics, you can just find them in yogurt.

Olivia Ruiz said:Is that too many antibiotics? Are they actually bad for you? 😕

Not really, assuming they were actually necessary.

The main issue is they can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria... which isn't great.

Usually, doctors go with Amoxicillin for kids with ear infections. If that doesn't do the trick, they might move up to Kevin—just watch out for the side effects, mostly diarrhea. Azithromycin (Zithromax) is usually saved for pneumonia or if someone's allergic to penicillin.

bluedriver2 said:It’s not too much if they actually needed them.

The real danger here is that they can lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Usually, for kids with an ear infection, amoxicillin does the trick just fine. If that doesn't clear things up, you might move on to Augmentin—though you have to deal with the side effect of diarrhea. Azithromycin is really more of a fallback for pneumonia or patients with penicillin allergies.

Nikki, thanks! 😘