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Do you know that although antibiotics will help you get rid of infections it could destroy or hinder your immune system?  Antibiotics – a double edged sword is just one of many articles you can find on this subject. I am not a doctor nor profess to be an expert in any medical way, so I am not suggesting that you never use antibiotics. What I am suggesting is that you see if there would be any danger if your child didn’t use them and instead allow their own immune system to do the work. If your child has an infection, you might want to consider this alternative.

Giving someone with a minor infection and or virus lots of liquids, fresh air and rest usually will help the body to fight this off on its own. When their immune systems get stronger by fighting without medicine, it usually will take a lot more for them to get sick the next time.

A short time after my son was born he was diagnosed with  RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus infection), given some antibiotics and put into an oxygen tank.  Although my son would clear up and they would send us home, within days we were back at the hospital and he was much worse. We went back three separate times in total before I finally said: “this is enough”. My husband and I rigged up a makeshift oxygen bed making sure everything was secure and safe.  We ran the humidifier constantly while he was in his room. We also opened the window as wide as we could while bundling him up in undershirts, socks and full length cozy, warm sleepers to keep him warm.  We applied Vicks on his outer clothes ensuring it did not touch his skin. This was just to keep his air passages open so he could sleep restfully.  I got to sleep in a bed beside him instead of on the floor like at the hospital and we both started to feel much better.

The concern was that the RSV could develop into pneumonia. To put the doctors and my own mind at ease I would go into the doctors every 3 or 4 days to ensure everything was fine. Each time I left her office she gave me a prescription for another antibiotic which I gladly took just in case I would need it, but I never did. On one visit she asked me why I wasn’t getting the prescriptions filled.  Besides wondering how she knew that fact, I gave her my reason which she completely disagreed with. I asked her if this was considered neglect of my child in any way and her response was “if your son was getting worse I would have to say yes”.  So I replied, “but he isn’t getting worse, he is getting better, right?”.  She had to concede that point and I went home.

In no time at all my son was not only cleared 100% of the RSV virus he was healthier than my other children. When the older children would come home from school with runny noses, I thought for sure he would catch a cold as well, but he rarely did. To this day he is the healthiest of all of us. I can’t remember the last time he was sick or even had a cold and he is now 20 years old.

As in all things, there has to be caution used especially if you go against what a doctor suggests. This article is not meant to cause you guilt or condemnation of any kind or to even suggest you go against a doctors suggestion.  So if you are uncomfortable with not doing exactly what the doctors suggest then please do what makes you more comfortable. All I am trying to do is show there may be other options other than always using an antibiotic.

I know with parents working they have to get their child better as quickly as possible so they can get back to work, however, in the long run, I believe you will end up taking even more time off work due to the frequency your child will continue to get sick caused by a lower immune system. Due to daycare centers and schools not wanting sick children attending if you cannot take the required amount of time off work,  you might have to come up with another plan.  An alternative is to find a healthy, understanding relative, or hire someone to come into your home, who will see your long term goal and be willing to take care of the child until they are better.

I am also a big testimony to this as I have not taken antibiotics in years and other than food poisoning I haven’t been sick for 18 years. But let me end by saying, if I had a life-threatening illness that antibiotics were needed to get me well, I would not hesitate to take them.

Photo provided with thanks from http://parentinghub.co.za/2014/10/24/what-to-do-with-sick-children/

This is a good read as well please click on this link as I think you will like this article.

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