Too much antibiotics?

[Kayrowland]

Hi. My four year old son has asthma. I had to argue with my G.P for two years over this, until it led to my son getting hospitalised with it. My question is, my G.P always said it was a chest infection and kept giving him antibiotics. In the last 6 weeks my son has had four lots of Amoxicillin and his infection doesn't seem to be clearing up at all. I'm scared to think that he could end up in hospital again, where they couldn't control his oxygen levels. I'm just wondering should I ask my G.P to refer him to a chest specialist, as it's a recurrent thing? I understand ashmatics get chest infections easily, but this is getting beyond a joke now. He constantly seems ill, and when he is ok, I'm scared of when the nest one will come as there coming every two to three weeks.

[allmymarbles]

Unfortunately a medical degree does not always produce a good doctor. I would stay away from that man.

[Kayrowland]

The only reason I'm being hard on my G.P is that he did not notice his ashtma, until he was admitted to hospital and another doctor said it was that. I have now got my son referred to a specialist, and am waiting for an appointment. My G.p should of noticed something was wrong, as a normal child of his age is not on antibiotics for the length of time he is on them. It has taken me two years to prove he is ashmatic, and now when he needs the medication the get rid off infection it doesn't work due to him having them given to him for two years. I just hope it is something that can be solved and he wont be the poorly little boy that everyone knows, but a healthy child who can do all the things a child his age does.

[caregiver222]

A study was recently performed linking certain forms of asthma to encapsulated bacterial infections in the lung. It isn't just that "asthatics get infections readily", but that "infections can be the primary cause of some asthma". Such infections, if one has them, are very difficult to get rid of and often require weeks or months of antibiotics rather than the conventional seven-day protocol. Ideally they should be cultured, but this propcedure is very uncomfortable, and sometimjes has to be done under anaesthesia. Certainly, a long-standing bacterial infection is something that should be referred to an infectious disease specialist. There is a danger in treating with antibiotics in that one can easily end up with an antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria. I would not be so quick to condemn your G.P. for his choice of treatment. I encourage you to get a second opinion, but don't be too hard on your G.P.

[Kayrowland]

The inhalers he takes are a brown one ( not sure of the name ) he has to take this twice in the morning and twice at night, and takes his reliever as and when required. Which is all the time at the moment. I just feel like everything I do for him, doesn't help and the doctors shoving antibiotics down his neck isn't helping. I don't know how to approach this with my G.P, as like I said earlier, they only diagnosed him when he was on a oxygen in hospital due to there lack of noticing. I know there's something wrong with my son, but they always say it's nothing, yet isn't a mothers instinct always right? And thank you for you comment.

[Victoireh]

You don't mention what inhalers he's on. If his asthma is under medicated, then yes it can appear that he has constant bronchitis. Also if he gets excess mucous built up in his chest due to the uncontrolled asthma, that can lead to infections, as it is the perfect environment for bacteria.

I agree with you that perhaps he should be seen by a pulmonary specialist, if his GP is not able to control his asthma with the usual medications. There can be under lying factors that can cause difficulties in treating his asthma, such as unknown allergies, sinusitis and GERD. It is certainly worth your while to try to find the root cause of all his infections, as children's small airways are more susceptible to long term damage. And if anything this is affecting his quality of life, which is no joke either.