Why waiting instead of treating?

Question

Hello, a sputum sample has been collected from my 7-month old baby last Sunday because of a greasy cough and a runny nose. Our next medical visit is planned on the next Thursday and treatment is only based on nasal irrigation with isotonic saline and acetaminophen in case of fever. I am anxious about a possible infection and disease degradation between these 2 days. Why waiting instead of treating?

Answer

Hello,
Your question is the question of prescribing antibiotics when a CF infant has few respiratory symptoms. At such an age most of the respiratory infections are linked to viruses and don’t need antibiotics even in the case of CF. When the child has very moderate symptoms, the secretions samples are collected for analysis, a symptomatic treatment is started (nasal irrigation, acetaminophen) and possibly adapted to the results of the samples. On the other hand, when the clinical signs are very important, an oral or intravenous antibiotic treatment is immediately started, based on the different germs found in the previous samples. If your child has not been treated by antibiotics it’s probably because your medical doctors were not anxious buy his/her medical condition. Don’t hesitate to discuss this with them.
With my best regards,
Prof Jean-Christophe Dubus

10.11.2014