This ridiculous doctor is putting my child in danger!

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Forum -> Children's Health

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amother

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 1:21 pm

I have just switched pediatricians because our old one retired. The new group is anti- antibiotics. They feel it is way overused.

My ds has had 3 sinus infections in the past few months. They were all treated with antibiotics, but the last one came right back when he finished the medicine. So we went to our new doctor for the very first time on Sunday. They wouldn't give medicine but said to come back if he gets worse.

Well, he started coughing terribly ans wheezing last night. We went back to the doctor today and they said yes, he is wheezing, and his oxygen saturation level is low, so they gave him a nebulizer treatment, said he has asthma that is acting up because of the sinus infection, gave xopenex for the asthma, but still refuse to treat the sinus infection because "You don't always have to treat a sinus infection. We don't like antibiotics here."

They tell me to just go to an ENT. The ENT is out to lunch. He is wheezing horribly now. What kind of crazy doctor did I switch to?

myself

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 1:23 pm

Can you switch again?

motherinisrael

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 1:32 pm

Antibiotics rarely help with sinus infections as they are not usually caused by bacteria. Don't take my word for it- Google it yourself

Barbara

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 1:44 pm

motherinisrael wrote:

Antibiotics rarely help with sinus infections as they are not usually caused by bacteria. Don't take my word for it- Google it yourself

According to the CDC:

Quote:

Sinusitis, or a sinus infection, occurs when the sinuses and nasal passages become inflamed. If you or your child is diagnosed with sinusitis, the infection does not need to be treated with antibiotics unless you or your child has acute bacterial sinusitis, which is caused by bacteria. Acute bacterial sinusitis can last up to 4 weeks and subacute bacterial sinusitis can last 4 to 12 weeks, occurring less than 4 times per year.

Acute viral sinusitis, caused by a virus, typically lasts for less than 4 weeks and occurs less than 3 times per year. Acute viral sinusitis usually occurs after having an upper respiratory infection.

Chronic sinusitis typically lasts more than 4 weeks and occurs more than 4 times per year. If you are diagnosed with chronic sinusitis, you should visit a specialist for evaluation. Chronic sinusitis can be caused by nasal polyps or tumors, allergies, or respiratory tract infections (viral, bacterial, or fungal), among other reasons.

So it sounds like OP's doctors are relatively typical and maintream.

OTOH, I would never recommend that anyone continue with a doctor whom she does not trust.

overthehill

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 1:44 pm

amother wrote:

They are not wrong.
BTDT!

wheezing and coughing, presumable from asthma will not be helped with antibiotics.
Even RSV in babies isn't treated with antibiotics.
Its painful to watch a child struggle and suffer, but to give them something which may not help, and can even hurt isn't a good idea.

Xopenex is a great med and with patience should work.

5S5Sr7z3

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 2:03 pm

I suffer from chronic sinus infections, and I must say the doctors are correct on this one - antibiotics rarely help for sinus infections.

bnm

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 2:18 pm

my child was getting frequent bronchitis which the pulmonologist/allergist said can be caused by an underlying sinus infection. he also said to properly treat a sinus infection you need 3 weeks of antibiotics, otherwise you might not be getting rid of it fully and it just keeps coming back. since we did the 3 weeks of antibiotics her frequent green runny nose that would turn into bronchitis stopped.

I would say to take the child to a pulmonologist especially if they start saying asthma.

mandr

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 2:55 pm

My ENT told me after I suffered from repeated sinus infections that it can only get cured if I take 3 weeks of antibiotics. So I did that, and b"h the next one came like a year later. They don't go away completely if you take medication for less than that time.

JAWSCIENCE

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 3:03 pm

Just because they don't do what you want them to does not make them bad DR.'s/ IMHO if they just did what you wanted them to do "give me a prescription for this and this" then what's the point of having a Dr.?

You should always feel comfortable with the way you are treated, bedside manner, office dynamic, personalities etc. You should always be welcomed to get second opinions, you should be welcomed as an active participant and your opinion should be heard and acknowledged. But you should never be allowed to demand or dictate the treatment.

I would be very uncomfortable with a physician who prescribed things just to make the mom feel like she is getting what she wants even if they think it won't help the situation.

tissues

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 3:14 pm

JAWSCIENCE wrote:

I would be very uncomfortable with a physician who prescribed things just to make the mom feel like she is getting what she wants even if they think it won't help the situation.

I actually once asked my doctor about antibiotics in regards to an ear infection. Her response was that most of the time she prescribes antibiotics for the PARENTS who can't bear to see the child in pain. She said that usually in goes away on its own but if she sees the parents aren't happy with hearing that, she'll give them a prescription...

No wonder antibiotics is often overused!

amother

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 7:15 pm

OP here. Thank you for the responses. Barbara, I appreciate seeing that source that if it's more than 4 sinus infections a year, that makes it non-treatable by antibiotics.

I am glad to see this, but still not totally convinced. Ds has never been on 3 weeks worth of antibiotics, which is standard for sinus infections. Last time, he was laying on the couch crying that his forehead hurt all day. Antibiotics did help, but after the 14 days of antibiotics, the infection came right back. That's what makes me feel it is still the same infection and it just needed more medication. I see the risks of antibiotics that may be unnecessary as being much less than the risks of not treating what seems like a bacterial sinus infection.

I also wanted to respond to this:

overthehill wrote:

wheezing and coughing, presumable from asthma will not be helped with antibiotics.
Even RSV in babies isn't treated with antibiotics.
Its painful to watch a child struggle and suffer, but to give them something which may not help, and can even hurt isn't a good idea.

Xopenex is a great med and with patience should work.

I am not stupid. I know that colds and asthma attacks can't be cured with antibiotics. (And RSV is a type of cold.) I would never ask for antibiotics for a cold.

However, if the asthma attack is caused by a sinus infection, which is usually treated with antibiotics (or at least in the cases I had heard of), I would expect that to be the treatment. The doctor who started this practice wrote a book and I looked up sinus infections in there prior to our appointment. He says they would give antibiotics for a sinus infection, even though they are not fans of antibiotics. So I don't think I was being unreasonable by expecting that, especially since he was wheezing so badly.

Anyway, I am still not 100% convinced that it is really an asthma attack and not bronchitis caused by the sinus infection. However, the xopenex inhaler did help when I figured out how to spray it properly, so maybe it is asthma.

manhattanmom

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 7:24 pm

mandr wrote:

went through that too. One of my kids had a sinus infection that was around for awhile--and after just monitoring without antibiotics for a few days, when his fever was still around on the 5th day, he was put on an antibiotic but for 3 full weeks. That was 2 years ago (when he was 3.)

bnm

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 7:39 pm

we found a correlation in our family between asthma attacks and other infections. thaere is usually an underlying cause to the asthma attack (bronchitis/sinus etc)

amother

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 7:44 pm

I take my son to a chiropractor because he was wheesing. He has gone 4 times and no more wheezing. he is 20 months old.

amother

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 7:49 pm

if you really think this (your thread title) then switch drs. interview them first and make sure their approach is in line with what you want

MommytoB

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 8:37 pm

Please see an Ent. I was given a plan to clear a sinus infection. My Ent said antibiotics are usually not called for but in my case I did need them. However, that alone was not enough. He said a decongestant, humidifier, saline nose spray etc were all needed to actually open up the swollen shut sinus or else the infection would not clear up. However, treatment in a child is different so I urge you to go to an Ent if your child is in pain. The facial pain can be quite painful.

vintagebknyc

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 8:39 pm

amother wrote:

I take my son to a chiropractor because he was wheesing. He has gone 4 times and no more wheezing. he is 20 months old.

no offense, but I'm not sure how a chiropractor would get rid of wheezing.

bnm

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 8:50 pm

amother wrote:

I take my son to a chiropractor because he was wheesing. He has gone 4 times and no more wheezing. he is 20 months old.

so you let the kid wheeze till you can get to the chiropractor?

imasinger

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 8:58 pm

Just wanted to wish him a refuah shleima. It's so hard to feel like your child isn't getting better.

ElTam

Tue, Feb 12 2013, 9:03 pm

I have about three sinus infections a year. I try mucinex (a little relief), neti pot (a little relief), tylenol (a little relief). Finally it gets so bad that I go get a zpak (I hate antibiotics) and I feel like a new person in 36 hours. So for some types of sinus infections, they do work. I've been getting them for 20 years.

If you are not comfortable with your doctor, switch. Antibiotics may not be the answer for your child, but you need a course of treatment that is showing results.

I think seeing an ENT is a good idea. It is something on my list to do when I have two seconds for myself.

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