Is it really bad to stop antibiotics a few days in?

[Lochie]

Would really appreciate advice. Started antibiotics for first time ever for my 1 year old on Tuesday. Doctor gave them for a nasty double ear infection. He was noticably poorly with fever, spent Tuesday night in bed with me drifting in and out of sleep crying. Cue Wednesday morning and he gets up like nothing has happened and certainly this morning is back to his old mischievous self.

The problem is we have started antibiotics, but its like pinning down a rabid animal to get him to take it. Have posted on here before about covert tricks to get him to take calpol, with lots of great tips, but none of them work (tried syringe, in food, in bottle - he knows it all). He gets so distressed by it all (the only method that partly works is syringe) that he makes himself sick. My mum is looking after him this week as its my first week back at work, and says he actually has swallowed such a small amount that we should stop giving it to him as he is better now.

Does anyone know if it really is bad to stop a course of antibiotics part of the way in? When I was growing up I was told it was really bad to stop once you started as it would make the illness come back 'with a vengence'! Maybe that was just my mum's way of making sure I took it all!!

[Fuschia]

It's more bad for the community in general, is my understanding, as if not all the bacteria are killed off, the ones that remain (and can infect others) are likely to develop an immunity to that antibiotic and superbugs eventually result...

[Lochie]

good lord, ok thanks fuschia

[jollybaby]

As Fuschia says - the risk is that the infection hasn't been completely treated and that any residual bacteria may thrive and ultimately develop resistance. Whilst this isn't great for the community - it can also be bad for the child as any subsequent infections may be with the more resistant bug and therefore may not respond to the standard antibiotics - hence your mum saying 'come back with a vengeance'- though this is by no means guaranteed!

The caveats to this though are - did you really need antibiotics in the first place (ie was it viral/ would it have got better anyway) and how long should a full course of antibiotics be - different doctors will prescribe different length courses.

[Kes]

I'm afriad your Mum was right Lochie, the little one will be feeling much better as most of the bugs wil have been killed off quickly by the antibiotics, however the strongest of them can hang on for a long time and if you stop treatment early you'll just have cleared away all the weak ones to make room for the stronger ones to grow. If you finish the course hopefully they'll all be killed off.

As Fuscia says, these stronger bugs can become immune to the antibiotics if lots of people don't finish them off properly.

Good luck with administering it and with starting back at work.

K

[Fuschia]

http://www.ivillage.com/it-really-important-finish-antibiotics/6-n-146421

[Kes]

Also, just to add - did the doctor do a swab to check what was causing the infection? They are usually bacterial, but can also be fungal and it's best to know the exact cause so they can pick the best treatment. Also where in the ear is it? If it's in the outer part drops or a spray are generally better than oral antibiotics (at least in adults I don't know for sure about kids).

Unfortunatly I have lots of experience of ear infections!

K

[Lochie]

ok thanks everyone this is useful and has convinced me to see it through! Annoyingly as I wasn't at the docs I am not sure of the details of the ear infection but my mum said she wasn't told the length of the course, just to finish the bottle. My boss has just told me to do it with syringe and provide immediate distraction in form of toy/telly/chocolate - so that's the way its going to happen! oh JOY!

[Fuschia]

Syringe it into his cheek. Trying to do it to the back of the mouth makes them cough.

xx

[Polly D]

Like you Lochie, my mum always said the same thing but I had to put my son (19 months) on a course of antibiotics a few months ago, for a suspected ear infection and the doc cheerfully said 'if he seems fine after a couple of days he needn't finish the course'. So...who knows?!

[Belle]

I would say try to finish the course - as someone above said, have wayyyy to much experience of ear infections and they are awful especially if recurring. I do what your boss says and seems to work.

[esme]

From what I can gather it's bad to stop mid way through as if you catch something nasty again you may be immune to the antibiotics... so always best to finish the course if at all possible, even if they seem to have worked their magic quickly!

[Lochie]

Thanks - just to update I went to doc and she told me to stop (after a few days of spitting it out and not really swallowing much). Normally she said it was best to finish the course but in weighing up all arguments she said forcing him to such an extent could actually long term anguish when it comes to taking meds so it would be best to stop. So that is an interesting take on it....

Dreading the next time he gets ill! Anyway he is fine now ;-)