>>If the blood counts look the least little bit off... > >Linda, but this baby's tests all were clear. Do you still give the >broad-spectrum abx? -- Fever in a 6 wk old *is* serious - in hindsight I probably came off too flip in my initial response. And the thing is, if the tests are all clear but the baby still has that fever, you've got the dilemma that the fever came from *somewhere* - the kid is not well. Clear tests mean that whatever is affecting the child isn't detectable but the baby is still sick. >And one of the main questions is about the doc's assertion that an >intramuscular abx will not affect the GI tract. I would think that if it >doesn't get into the blood stream, but "stays in the muscles" (?) then is >would be of little value. And if it does, in fact, get into the blood >stream, the GI tract, which is *rather* connected to the blood system, >would be affected also. -- See, this is what gets me - Linda gave a good rationale for why you'd go ahead and treat a 6 wk old with a fever and why the concern about infection outweighed the concern about yeast. *IF* the mother was really told that only oral antibiotics cause yeast problems - and we all should remember that what is quoted to us is not necessarily what was said - well..... IF s/he said that, I hope that ER doc doesn't actually *believe* it. >I am not guessing whether or not this baby needed abx, but why do the >testing if you're going to give the abx anyway. -- If at some point in the testing, they *had* found something, the subsequent treatment could have been altered. A different antibiotic, for example, maybe one with a narrower spectrum. -- I truly don't find a problem with the treatment plan (IMHO, 'cause I know I'm not qualified to make a judgment), only the explanation which to me shows very little respect for the mother's concerns and intelligence. Working on my tact... how am I doing? :-) Mary Renard Vienna Virginia USA *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html