Antibiotics are powerful and important medications used to treat certain illnesses.
When used properly they can save lives, but used improperly, they may actually harm your child. It is important to understand that antibiotics should not be used for viral infections, and equally important for parents to learn about the differences between bacterial and viral infections. Your child usually recovers from these common viral infections when the illness has run its course. This complicated question, which should be answered by your child's physician, depends on the specific diagnosis. For example, there are several types of ear infections - most need antibiotics, but some do not.