General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: If you don't vaccinate your children. [View all]3catwoman3
(24,255 posts)...is important. I am always mindful that every prescription I write comes with a potentially fatal risk. A child who has tolerated an antibiotic well on previous occasions could have an anaphylactic reaction the next time.
It intrigues me that parents will be upset with me for not prescribing an antibiotic when they think the child needs one but my findings on physical exam do not support their desire. "What's the harm with a little Amoxicillin?" is the question I've been asked many times. I have a list of good answers to that question, especially if an antibiotic is being requested by phone without me being able to examine the child.
Perceived risk is a big part of the situation. Strep throat and ear infections are regarded as urgent situations that must be dealt with immediately. Most people raising children today have never seen a child seriously ill with a vaccine preventable illness, so their level of alarm is low. During the first swine flu outbreak just a few years ago, the level of perceived risk was so high that most parents did not even ask about the side effects of the flu vaccine, nor even asked if it had preservatives in it. Perceived risk was through the roof. They just wanted their kids to get the protection, and they were pissed when supples ran out.