Reaction to Antibiotics

very common. my kids and I do the same thing! just keep up with the meds until they are gone and he will be back to himself soon!
ps try doing Tylenol and Motrin.... alternate not at the same time!

Hi S.,

My husband had a VIOLENT reaction to Zithromax when it first came on the market. Since then we have chosen not to use chemical antibiotics as they may or may not fix the immediate problem, but they always break down your immune system making you more susceptible to the next germ that comes along...along with long-term degernerative issues. The behavior issues your child is having are actually quite common.

There are natural antibiotics. Elderberry, garlic or collodial silver are what I use if the need arises. It hasn't in years. My family doesn't get sick anymore. I believe it's because we have purposed to build our immune systems. My 90 year old Dad has contracted pneumonia twice in the last few years (not because his immune system is weak but he can not swallow and he has aspirated fluids that have gotten infected) and both times we have healed it with collodial silver. The doctors were stunned both times.

Everyone has reactions to all synthetic chemicals, whether pharmaceuticals or household cleaners. It's just a matter of time to see what condition appears down the road. To answer your question, YES, my family had issues when we used to take pharmaceuticals.

Let me know if you'd like more information. I love to help!

Regards,

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk

Hi Staci,

I had a bad reaction to Amoxicillin in the early 1990s and I only took one tablet. It made me feel terribly sick to my stomach, an absolutely splitting headache (like I've never had before or since), and almost violent (something I've never felt before or since also). I too am sensitive to meds and that experience made me say... "I will NEVER take their drugs again, PERIOD!"

What's challenging in your situation is your sons age, there are many things you will have to be extremely careful of, both natural and not.

Here's a list of articles regarding Colloiidal Silver - a substance that I would not use on a child unless under the supervision of a Naturopath doctor
http://search.mercola.com/results.aspx?k=%20colloidal%20+...

If it were me, I would go to Dr. Biddle, MD of Integrative Medicine in Asheville, NC http://www.docbiddle.com

There are many things you can do for ear infections and other ailments that do not need drugs, I'm sure Dr. Biddle will be able to inform you.

My medicine's of choice are therapeutic essential oils and food - those are the two things I've used for all my healing. I do sell therapeutic essential oils, if you're interested please contact me. Do not waste your money on essential oils sold in health food stores - they are NOT therapeutic in quality.

There are many things one can do to 'prevent' ear infections and non-drug choices for when we do get ear aches - I would take my son for a visit to Dr. Biddle, for sure!

Hope this helps,
E.

It is possible to be allergic to antibiotics but it's kind of likely to be alelrgic to more than one class/family.

Your son's issue is most likely NOT an ALLERGY, per se. But he could be sensitive. I am not allergic to Penicillin but it makes me vomit, so I can't take it. But I've taken Amoxicillin more times than I can count over the years. I have to eat before I take Zithromax or it causes a lot of stomach issues (cramping, rolling, and nausea). My 8yr old also has to eat first. I pretty much eat or have him eat before dispensing ANY medication (even tylenol!) unless the medication instructions explicitly state it shouldnt be taken with food. Maybe this could be your child's problem - and he doesnt have the verbal skills to say he's nauseous or his stomach is cramping.

This is a sensitivity, not an allergy, as allergic reactions are a bit more serious. I am allergic to Sulfa medications. How do I know? The first time I was given it as a child I went into shock and nearly died. (I was never given it again).

I suggest following the other mom's advice and find out what the common denominator between the two medications is. Talk to your doctor to see if s/he has any suggestions on other medication, and if s/he thinks the two reactions to the two drugs could be related.

Call the doc and have the med changed. You still have time to go to the pharmacy

I do not know if this is problem or not, but I have always had a hard taking antibiotics. I have severe stomach pains when I do. They are like extreme hunger pains so that is why he may be interpreting it for need of food. Most antibiotics do this. I don't know if this is his problem, but could be the case.

My children reacted like that when they had ear infections. Have you ever had an ear infection? They hurt. Ear infections made my kids irritable and fussy for a couple of days before the medicine kicked in and they felt better.

My son is allergic to penicillin. It made him break out in a rash and hives and it made him swell everywhere including his throat. I think if it was an allergic reaction you would have other symptoms too.

If you are worried call your pediatrican and ask questions.

It would be odd to have a reaction to zithromax. I think he just does not feel well. Are you giving him alternating motrin/tylenol every four hours? You could try and see if it helps. I also would not stop the antibiotics because the infection can come back worse than before the z-pack is only for 5 days anyway.

I would recommend checking out information regarding PH balance which can be found ____@____.com Sounds like the medicine is making him overly acidic and this can lead to many disorders. Our bodies are made to be alkaline and when we take medications or eat the wrong kinds of food, our bodies respond in negative ways. As soon as he has finished his round of antibotics, you may want to start him on probiotics. (found in health food stores or online)I hope this helps and I will be praying for you and your son.

L. S

My 4 yr old has Kidney reflux and the doctors wanted her on antibiotics continuously for 2 years after just one infection. Immediately I could see any time she was on antibiotics her temperament changed. And it was not due to pain because she was not being treated for an existing infection but was being treated to "prevent" a future infection. All of the sudden the tantrums would start and escalate. So at that time, even though my doctor did not believe me when I emphatically told her the behavior was due to the antibiotics she agreed to take her off them and only use them when she "actually" had a real infection. Her reflux was pretty mild (level 2) so we agreed to monitor. Well 2 years later the specialist was checking her and found a tiny amount of bacteria in her urine. Not enough to usually be of concern but given her reflux wanted to treat it. Just 4 days after her being on the antibiotics the daily tantrums started. Her moods seemed to go from happy and cheerful to horrid in a second. She had not been the least bit disagreeable since she started her class 2 months ago and is now having tantrums (and really big ones) daily. She is almost Bi-Polar like. Luckily we only have 3 more days on the medicine. Although last time this happened it took quite awhile for the effect to wear off (up to 3 weeks). So Yes, I AM POSITIVE ANTIBIOTICS CAN HAVE A BEHAVIORAL SIDE EFFECT ON CHILDREN. Don't let the doctor ignore your observations.

Both of my kids have negative reactions to Zithromax and I also got tired of giving them antibiotics - it seemed like they were always getting ear infections so I started asking specialists what all my alternatives were and found Garlic Ear Oil. I put that in their ears once a week and haven't had an ear infection since! The brand I use is Herbs for Kids...
http://herbsforkids.com/product.asp?productid=380

Is he on anything besides the antibiotic? Steroids (prednisone, methyl-predisolone) cause this type of reaction in me. I am not manic depressive / bipolar but when I take steroids they make me feel like i'm losing my mind. You described exactly how I feel when I'm on them.

If his reaction is only when he has an ear infection, it might be the ear infection causing the behaviors. My children rarely have ear infections but, when they do, they seem to be more sensitive to everything. Do you have numbing drops for his ears? The pain might be severe enough to cause a bad headache or jaw ache and this can throw off any one's behaviors. I usually give my children ibuprofen or tylenol when they have ear infections and this helps subside some of the pain and the behaviors.
Also, when I had a terrible ear infection a few years ago, the air pressure caused a lot of pain and popping in my ears. I was in bed for days then had some hearing loss while my ears healed. If his ear infection is severe, be aware that you might need to change around your schedule to allow him some peace and quiet so he can cope with the pain.
Good luck because it is always difficult to watch your children in pain.

Zithromax tastes like fingernail polish. An urgent care doctor prescribed this to my 3 year old on a Sunday morning for an ear infection. Monday he was broken-out in a terrible rash. Of course I called his regular pediatrician and she was surprised that he was given zithromax because of it's bad taste. She wasn't sure about the rash but I know it's got to be related. As for the behavior, my son acts like that a lot. It's the age.

Sounds like it could definitely be a sensitivity to the medication. My now 6 yr old son took Amoxicillin twice before breaking out in a near all over body rash and we found out he is allergic to all penicillin based drugs! I know antibiotics can cause stomach sensitivities in some people such as nausea, stomach pains, reflux, heartburn, and then there is constipation which can cause cramping and discomfort itself. Maybe your son is experiencing some discomfort that he doesnt yet know how to explain or communicate to you. If he goes back 'normal' after the antibiotics are out of his system, you'll know! From experience, if he shows any signs of a rash anywhere on his body (but especially on his chest, stomach, buttocks and feet) I would take him in immediately for possible allergic reaction. My son didn't show signs until the LAST day of his dosage (after taking it for 10 days straight!) Good luck!

Very unlikely to be a reaction to the antibiotics. When you have an ear infection it hurts and most people don't understand how bad it can hurt. The pressure and the sounds can make the sweetest person or child become unreal. I have been a long time suffer of ear infections and my oldest daughter had them. My youngest has been lucky to escape this problem. Have you tried allergy meds during to the Fall to help? That is one thing that has seemed to help curve the onset of ear infections.

Hi, S.

My son, (now 21) was found to be allergic to sulphur based drugs when he was 2 1/2. He had a bad reaction to Cechlor sp? It made him lethargic and delusional.
Research the drugs your son has been put on and find the common denominator, more than likely that's your culprit. Once found, tell his dr. and keep him away from any and all meds containing it,
Good luck,
B.

It is probably NOT the antibiotics that is causing his behavior...it's the ear pain. An earache pain comes and goes at all hours. I would ask the MD for some drops for the ear to numb the pain and that might help.

Oh my gosh. I know this was originally posted YEARS ago but I literally created an account so that I could comment on this. I hope you're still active! I'm currently going through the EXACT same things with my daughter (4), and with those exact same medications.

She came down with a mild form of bronchitis (no fever, no other symptoms) and was prescribed Zithromax, which she's never taken before. It's only a 5-day dosage, but by day 2 I started to notice behavioral changes in her that mimic your experience. It was literally an overnight change. While not as extreme as throwing full-blown tantrums, she seems to vary between anxious, hyperactive, and aggressive. She's been playing more aggressive with her toys in a way which makes me feel uncomfortable and is out-of-character for her (where did she learn to put Paw Patrol toys in her play kitchenette microwave and say she was going to eat them?!? and yes she did ask me to rescue them at least), is constantly wiggling her legs as if she's on edge while watching a movie instead of being as relaxed as usual, and can swing from happy playing to almost hitting in the blink of an eye. I'd like to further reiterate that she has no other symptoms aside from a wet cough, and this behavior is completely out of character for her, even as a sick child. She's still able to achieve happiness when occupied doing something she loves, but it's as if there's some sort of energy, frustration, or anxiety beneath the surface that she can't figure out how to expel. I was trying to figure out what other changes in our environment could have started this behavior, but I'm at a loss. Typically if she gets in trouble and throws a rare tantrum we're over it within a few hours at most, but she's been waking up daily and appearing to struggle between happy and anxious, depending on if her mind is occupied. It's like she can't control her mood, doesn't understand why, and can't figure out how to communicate what she's feeling.

I came to the realization that she started Amoxicillin back in late December for a mild ear infection, and the following week developed severe separation anxiety related to daycare drop-off that lasted for MONTHS, of which we could not figure out the source. While I didn't notice any other behavioral change during that course of antibiotics, I can't help but shake the feeling that there's a link between both incidences and an increase in her anxiety.

If you (or any other parent) happen to read this just know that you definitely aren't alone and I believe you 100%. Now that your children are older, did you happen to find an antibiotic that your child could tolerate? I'd love to know, as I'm terrified to have to put her on either of these again. Today is her last dose so I'm hoping we start to see her bounce back to her normal self within about 48 hours, or a week at most.

Sounds as if you're quite 'in tune' with your child, which is as it should be. Although a Dr. says it's 'unusual' for such a reaction, s/he doesn't know YOUR child like you do. I'd stop the antibiotic and see if the behavior changes back to 'normal' again, as that should 'nail it' if it IS the culprit. If the 'cure' is worse than the 'cause', it's not worth putting him (and yourself) through misery just to finish up the course of antibiotics. Just think, 100 years ago no one took antibiotics every time they got a chest cold, ear infection or sore throat (and they usually lived)! Just use some Tylenol to help keep him comfortable, and hopefully he's not one to have recurring infections!

My daughter had similar experiences with meds, after she entered daycare and started having ear infections. Then, I heard an MD on a health show mention the following. Antibiotics actually suppress the immune system and prevent it from working normally. She also recommended that children w/ reoccurring ear infections stop, or at least highly decrease, the amount of milk and other dairy products.

So, I transitioned our household from milk to Silk Soy milk with the Omega 3 & DHA in it. Within 2 weeks we both stopped having a runny nose & eyes and hardy any congestion due to the decrease of flem development (which dairy causes your body to create more of).Since then, she's went over 2 yrs without an ear infection (until recently). I researched for a natural way to treat and found a protocol that works fast and effective. I now use a 1:1 ratio solution of H20 & Peroxide. I just have her lay down and put a few drops in her ear. We let it sit for 4-8 min, then do the other ear. Dry each well afterward. Typically in less than 3 hrs she gets complete relief. Oh, also remember not to use QTips in the ear. I actually asked for one of those little plastic tools they use at the Doctor's office. It's great.

I can tell you from my personal experience, that giving antibiotics to often at a young age, can reek serious havoc into adulthood. I was given to many as a young child. So, growing up, every time I got sick it was bad. I'd stay sick for weeks or months. Even with a cold. I finally learned at 32 about what the MD mentioned above and stopped using antibiotics. I'm 41 now, I've been healthier since. No more frequent trips to the doctor, or hospital, or being bed ridden for long periods, due to my weak immune system. For these, and other, reasons, I tell MD's that I don't want my child to have antibiotics unless it's absolutely needed. They tell me, "I wish more parents would say that." My 4 yr hasn't had any illness, other than minor ear ache, since she was about 1 1/2. I know she's going to have a much stronger immune system than myself.

I hope my family's personal experience can help.

.

I wanted to mention the Cold Socks treatment which works great on ear infections! Go here http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/ear.html and scroll down.

I also recommend drastically cutting back on dairy and having Cranial Osteopathy or CranioSacral therapy done. That's what worked for my kids!

Good luck!