Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Please check Note 1178 for information about bronchitis, and Note 528
    for information about Strep B.
    
    Laura
    co-mod

    
    I'm wondering why your daughter is taking antibiotics for a "cold".
    I was under the impression that viral infections do not respond to 
    antibiotics so am not sure what difference it would make how strong
    Ceclor is vs. Amoxicillan.   Antibiotics are used to fight bacterial
    (usually secondary) infections in my understanding.
    
    Also, for what it's worth, colds seem to last FOREVER in very young
    children; 10-14 days has been my experience with most of Jason's
    viruses.   
    
    Carol
    
    PS  Please check out notes 782 and 785 on colds/illnesses in young
    children.   You might be relieved to know that others have gone 
    through this continual cold/flu stuff as well....(or then again,
    you might not be relieved to find this out 8-)  
    
    

    Indeed, to confirm .2, viruses do not respond to antibiotics normally.
    But, it is not uncommon in some viral infections for Doctors to
    prescribe an antibiotic in case of a secondary bacterial infection.
    It is also not uncommon for someone with a viral or bacterial
    infection to pick up another secondary infection, bacterial or
    viral.  Colds do not respond to antibiotics.
    
    However, it sounds like the noter's daughter had bronchitis and was
    prescribed the antibiotic for that.  It could be that she has a cold
    as well.  However, if the symptoms are not sufficiently better after
    a course of antibiotics, I'd be back to the Doctor poste haste, just
    to ensure that things are clearing up and that the bronchitis is
    gone and that it is only a cold you are dealing with.
    
    We cannot take the place of your Doctor.  Presumably he/she knows
    what they are up to, and you should ensure that you ask sufficient
    questions to discover what sort of reactions he she expects from any
    medication and under what circumstances you should beat a path back
    to his door!
    
    Good luck!
    
    Stuart

    
    Both of my sons have been on Ceclor.  I don't know if it is stronger. 
    I do know that some of the antibiotics are sulphar based, like Bactrum
    (sp?).  My pedi told me some infections react better to different kinds
    of antibiotics.  Tanner just came off Suprex (i think), this is the
    only one that my DR. told me was "stronger".  Tanner just couldn't
    shake one of the ear infections (off meds for 3-5 days, ear infection
    back)  We are hoping this one cleared it completely.
    

    My son was on 'em all...Amoxicillin, Ceclor, Bactrim...you name it,
    James took it to clear up his ear infections.  Some kids get 
    diarrhea when they take antibiotics.  Mine never did.  Occasionally
    a child will get a yeast infection -- again, mine never did.
    
    I don't know if you can really talk in terms of "strength" of an
    antibiotic.  I'm no pharmacist, but it seems to me that certain
    antibiotics are better for some illnesses than for others.  
    
    From time to time, a cold will turn into a sinus infection, and then
    a doctor might prescribe an antibiotic to clear up that infection.
    This happens to me about twice a year.  
    
    .4, did you ask your doctor about prescribing what they call a
    "prophylactic" dose of an antibiotic to help him keep the ear
    infections away?  My son took Ceclor (I think) once a day in the
    hopes that ear infections would stop.  He popped one anyway,
    but that was the next-to-the-last ear infection he had.  Worth 
    asking about, IMHO. 

    
    I was taking Ceclor in the Spring for an ear/tonsil infection.
    First I was on Amoxicillin but the infection didn't go away
    so my doctor put me on the Ceclor.  He said it was the kind of
    antibiotic that is used when the penicillin-types fail.  I didn't
    have any adverse reactions to it and within a few days I felt
    immediate improvement.  Of course along with the medicine, I made it
    a point to eat and sleep well and not let the infection get my spirit
    down (I had the infection for over a month), and with time I was myself
    again.   
    
    I don't like taking antibiotics, however, or any drugs.  I usually try
    to get over something on my own and see my doctor only if my body fails
    to deal with it after I struggle for awhile.  From what I've heard,
    it's not a good idea to be on antibiotics for a long period of time,
    because it suppresses an individual's own immune system, so at times
    I believe I may put off seeing my doctor for a little longer than is
    advisable.  I encourage you to let your daughter know that others
    have gone through what she is going through now and have overcome it,
    and so can she.
    
    -Mark
     

Mark,
>    
>    I don't like taking antibiotics, however, or any drugs.  I usually try
>    to get over something on my own and see my doctor only if my body fails
>    to deal with it after I struggle for awhile.  From what I've heard,
>    it's not a good idea to be on antibiotics for a long period of time,
>    because it suppresses an individual's own immune system, so at times
>    I believe I may put off seeing my doctor for a little longer than is
>    advisable.  I encourage you to let your daughter know that others
>    have gone through what she is going through now and have overcome it,
>    and so can she.
>    
I don't mean to frighten anybody, but this attitude can be very dangerous.
In the last few years there have been some extrememly nasty infections
going around ... some viral, some bacterial, that have resulted in many
children actually dying.  These infections progress extremely quickly.
That is to say that they start out with relatively innocuous symptoms
and within as little as 12 to 24 hours you are dealing with life and
death symptoms.  It is important to monitor illnesses closely and visit
the doctor as quickly as possible with any noticeable worsening of the
illness, or if no signs of improvement come fairly quickly.

The problem with antibiotics is not that they supress the immune
system, but unless the bacterium is totally destroyed by the body and
the antibiotic before spreading, the bacterium continues a process of
mutation, developing a resistance to the particular antibiotic.  This
is why you may have to take different antibiotics to deal with some
infections.  It is also why sulfa drugs are regaining popularity with
their use in conjunction with antibiotics.  Fortunately, the days of
most doctors overprescribing antibiotics is over ... now it's only a
few.

Many people avoid medications, sometimes I'm not sure why.  Yes, there
are some medications whose side effects are worse than the problems
they are trying to relieve, but there are many useful medications out there
both prescribed and otc which serve a very useful job.  Remember that
not so many years ago, people died much younger and physicians gave
such wonderful treatments as blood letting.  Maybe people think of
medications still the same way they would view that blood letting!

Stuart

    
         My daughter had quite a few ear infections when she was an infant.
    Our pediatrician prescribed Ceclor for the real persistent ear
    infections that did not go away when treated with Amoxicillin or Bactrum.
    Ceclor always did the job and got rid of the infection.  There were
    some ear infections that Amoxicillin and Bactrum could not cure.
    My daughter did not have any side effects, but I remember that the
    prescription was pretty expensive (this was before we joined an HMO).
    
    
    Paul Mistretta 

    Griffin had to have Ceclor because AMoxicillin didn't work for his ear
    infection.  I remember he couldn't have formula while he was on it, it
    would make him sick.  In a matter of hours he was so much better and I
    was so relieved. 

My doctor said he always prescribes amoxicillin first and then if that doesn't
work, he then prescribes Ceclor.  The reason is that amoxicillin will get
most infections and is cheaper.  Ceclor isn't stronger, it just works on a
greater number of infections than amoxicillin (it's "broader").

Kyra

    My son has just finished his Ceclor, which was given to him for an ear
    infection.  He now has a yeast infection which according to the doctor
    is a side effect of the medicine.  I now am putting lotriman (?) creme
    on the effected area.  He told me to use Maloxx for the diaper changes
    in between.  

    Have any of your kids that have been on ceclor gotten yeast
    infections from it?  This really looks like it hurts.
    
    Kathy

    Kathy,
    
    Both of my boys got them, and yes, I believe that they DO hurt. The
    cream is wonderful though, clears it up in a matter of days. I found
    that soaking the boy in the tub helped them to feel better. I always
    made sure the pedi gave me the cream with several refills, so that I
    did not need an office visit each time (my boys get lots of ear
    infections.....)
    
    Good luck,
    
    Lee Ann 
    

    I always used the powder form of Nystatin (sp?) instead of Lotrimin, or
    Nystatin cream.  My thinking was that the powder would keep it dry, and
    promote healing quicker.  I used it in lieu of the usual baby powder.
    
    As for the Maalox, that is an old hospital trick.  We used to put it on
    the older folks with bedsores, which are usually caused by laying in a
    urine-wet bed. The Maalox will neutralize the acid in the urine, and
    promote healing.  The trick though is to let it dry completely before
    covering it with the diaper. In the hospital we used to cover the area
    with a thick coating, and expose the area to a warm, ordinary light
    bulb for a few minutes, to dry the area and the sore.  And by the way,
    it DOES hurt!  After AJ had his colostomy closed his whole anal area
    looked like raw meat, and he screamed every time I went near him.  I
    cried as much as he did during diaper changes.
    
    Lyn

You can help prevent yeast infections when your baby is on an antibiotic by 
feeding him lots of yogurt.  It's no guarantee, but yogurt helps replace 
the good buggies in the intestinal tract that the antibiotic has killed 
off.  Some of those good buggies kill yeast and prevent it from getting a 
stronghold.

Steve

    And, for what it's worth, my pediatrician recommended vanilla or lemon 
    yogurt.  I assumed the fruit in the other flavors might not help.
    
    Bev

    re .15
    The vanilla or lemon may make it more palatable to kids - the flavor
    really has nothing to do with the yogurt culture and its benefits.
    
    

    I may be stepping in here, but I think .15 meant that the sugar-loaded
    fruit in yogurt may negate any of the benefits of the yogurt.  Sugar is
    a big no-no when you have a yeast infection.
    
    judy

    We just had great success with using yogurt to treat Brad's incredible
    diaper rash and yeast infection, but we didn't feed it to him. We
    slathered it all over his butt after each diaper change.  It cleared up
    the rash/infection noticeably overnight, and the whole thing was gone
    within a few days.  Now this was a diaper rash that resulted from
    reconnecting his bowels, so it was expected, but absolutely nothing
    worked on it.  For 3 weeks, we tried a mixture of Nystantin powder with
    zinc oxide, then we tried Desitin, A&D ointment, Bactoban (it's like
    bacitracin) and Cortisone cream that the doctor recommended.  Nothing
    worked except the yogurt.

But vanilla and lemon yogurt have sugar too.

    My daughter had a terrible yeast infection when she was born, both in
    her mouth and on her bottom.  It took 3 months to get rid of it.  At
    the time I heard somewhere that the yeast feed on baby powder and you
    souldn't use the powder if they have a yeast infection.  Does anyone
    know if that is true?
    
    Karin

    re .20:
    I think the problem is supposedly with cornstarch baby powder. I
    imagine that there wouldn't be a problem with talcum-based. 

    re: .21
    
    Yeah, David can't use cornstarch-based powder at all; by the end
    of the day his bottom will be scarlet with yeast infection.  But
    the talcum-based powder used faithfully seems to prevent it,
    especially now that he's older.  
    
    --bonnie