Omaha, NE
A 37-year-old member asked:
Is it a bad idea to give an infant (1 year old) antibiotics for a cold? i feel like a cold is a minor thing and may be good to build immunity.
2 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in

Dr. Michael Kelberanswered
Family Medicine 27 years experience
Dont us antibiotics: The common cold is caused by a virus. Antibiotics have no activity against viruses. There is no reason, and there may be some harm, in using antibiotics for viral infections.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Martin Raffanswered
Infectious Disease 57 years experience
Yes: If the baby truly has a viral illness then antibiotics are unnecessary and also potentially harmful in many ways, not the least of which being thinning of your wallet.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Nov 2, 2016
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