A client had to take her 6 week old, ferevish  baby to the hospital for a
work-up, which turned out fine.  Then the doc said that he would give the
baby an antibiotic.  Mom asked  why he was going to give the abx if the
baby didn't have meningitis.  Or, if he was going to give the abx anyway,
why do all of the testing.

Is there a specific abx that is given if it is meningitis?  Is it "good
medicine" to just give an abx after meningitis is ruled out, and without
testing for bacterial infection? Mom didn't know what abx was given.

The reason mom was reluctant to get the abx is that she worked very hard
after the birth to prevent yeast overgrowth in herself and her baby.  She
was successful, and was not eager to re-introduce the threat.

The doc at the hospital said that if one takes abx orally, then yeast can
be a problem, but if given intramuscularly there wouldn't be a yeast
problem following, because it is not in the GI tract.  Is this "evidence
based"?  Or just pulled from a hat to make sure that the mom did as he
recommended?

Will those of you with a more medical bent let me know about these
questions?  Particularly the yeast possibility, because she would begin
preventive measures if the doc is guessing.

Pat Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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