Question

Please help to answer these question

1. What would you say to a parent who feels their child needs an antibiotic when most likely it is a viral infection?

2. What would you tell a parent who has an otherwise healthy child how to treat a fever of 100 degrees?

3. A mother of a ten week old baby boy, who is otherwise healthy come in for his month visit. He is exclusively breast fed says that she wants to start feeding him rice milk so that he'll sleep longer. How would you consult this mother?

Answer 1

1. Parents who feels their child needs an antibiotic:

• Parents should be aware of the fact that using antibiotics will not help and would cause harm to children if they are not the right medications.
• Antibiotics are used to treat infections and they target bacteria not viruses.Using antibiotics for viral infections may lead to an infection by a resistant bacteria.
• Don't push the doctor to give your child an antibiotic.

2.Treating 100 degrees of fever in a child:

• Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids.
• Encourage the child to take adequate rest.
• Lightweight clothing should be worn by the child.
• Use a blanket if your child is shivering.
• Temperature of 100 degrees often don't need medicine unless they are uncomfortable.
• Sponge the child with lukewarm water to bring down the fever.
• The illness is not serious if your child is still interested in playing,eating,drinking and is alert.

3.The mother should be adviced the following:

• Exclusive breast feeding should be given for 6 months.
• Rice water is an ideal food to be fed to babies but only after they wean from breast milk.
• Rice water doesnot contain all the essential nutrients required by the baby like breast milk.
• A 10 week old baby is so small for having rice water because your baby's digestive system are developing and is not still  for any other food except breast milk.