My 3 yr old is on Amoxicillin for UTI, concerned!!!

[Donna]

My 3 yr old daughter has a kidney abnormality and gets UTI's. this is her third infection. She was on a daily low dose of antibiotics to keep infections at bay but this time the bug must be resistent to the med.
She's now on Amoxicillin for 10 days.
I myself had c diff from having alot of antibiotics, I'm feeling alot better, but now of coarse I'm concerned for my daughter. She's had amoxi before with no probs but since then I had c diff, I wasn't severe and did use bleach and washed hands like crazy.
I'm gonna talk to our family DR about my concern and see if switching meds is an option ( the ER Dr prescribed the meds ), but in the mean time I've got her eating yogurt with added probiotics, so do you think that is sufficiant, while she's on amoxi? I didn't realize that Amoxi was bad for c diff. She's been on it for a couple days already, she's feeling better but now I have another worry.
She's been through so much already this is the last thing we need.
I do alot of praying too!!
Thanks for all your help and advice

[sissybug]

Donna, I don't blame you for being concerned, if we don't look out for our children, nobody else is going to! I know the parnoia of your child being on amoxicillin, my daughter just got put on an antibiodic for upper respritory infection, and me having just had cdiff, I am also having my daughter take the florastor while she is on the antibiodic, and she is eating the activia yogurt! Just do what you know is best and be sensible with hand washing, and you will most likely be just fine! Good luck, you and your child will be in my prayers!

[Bobbie]

Donna,

Standard Introduction

Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics – especially the announcements: PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST and GUIDELINES FOR POSTING TO OUR DISCUSSION BOARDS. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and some of the topics in FAQ – especially Hygiene, Nutrition, & Testing.

Althought your daughter does't have C. diff., you need to know the majority (almost 80%) recovers with one to two rounds of Flagyl or Vancocin, but an unlucky small percentage does not and can suffer for months. Everyone eventually recovers, however, unless other factors are involved (advanced age, other severe health problems). Since antibiotics can contribute to diff., those who had it should be careful about taking them again. (See FAQ-Antibiotics.) Some people can tolerate them without a problem; some develop C. diff. again. (See Dr. Borody’s article.)

Questions

I well understand your concern. (My then 4-yr. old son had C. diff. in l979 & again 6 yrs. later. I, too, had it twice many years later.)

Did the doc. do a culture before prescribing the Amoxicillin? Always make sure that is done to find out which "bug" is causing the infection. If it is E. coli, it usually responds to Macrobid -- which is considered a "safe" antibiotic. Again, see FAQ-Antibiotics. This is what she is probably on, however. I am on a preventative dose of Macrobid as I have chronic UTI's & IC. So far, so good.

Also, see FAQ-UTI's. It has a lot of tips re. UTI's. For instance, no baths & little girls just love bubble baths.

Are you taking your doc. to a ped. or kidney specialist? If not, I would consider doing so & letting him/her prescribe antibiotics if they are necessary.

Probiotics/yogurt are in the category of "can help." Space the yogurt as far from the antiibiotic as possible or the antibiotic will kill some of the good bacteria. You might consider using Culturelle. (Available at many drug stores: Walgreen's, CVS, etc.) It is fairly expensive but one study (remember, this is only one study) showed it was more effective in children than in adults. It comes in a capsule but can be broken apart & the powder put in food. Also, from what I've read (and I emphasize I am not in the medical field), probiotics might be better at preventing C. diff. than "curing" it. Do check with your family doc. or ped., however, before using any new product.

Since you know what C. diff. can do, you are one step ahead in your daughter's care. Congrats. Let us know how she does. Remember, not everyone gets C. diff. We'll keep our fingers crossed for her -- and you.

[Donna]

Thanks for the replys. My daughter gets very ill if we wait for the culture. She was on trimethoprim for her daily low dose, but that didn't kill this bug she's got now.
The ped. she's seeing is away, and the specialist is very far away from us. She is getting a procedure done, she's on the waiting list. We have to wait.
I'm pumping her full of 2 kinds of yogurt ( both claiming to have dfifferent probiotics) with added Natren probiotics. I'm in Canada so we have different brands I guess. Although I think I've seen Cullturelle but there's more than one kind. The Natren I've been told is one of the best, it makes it through to the GI tract.
I left a message with our family Dr about my concern, she said my daughter should be fine. I'm just gonna have to have faith that she will be and just take the proper percautions. Are there any other ideas to prevent this nightmare from occurring?
Thanks again