Rady Children’s infectious disease expert shares what families need to know about using antibiotics safely
Watching your child feel sick is never easy. The desire to make them feel better quickly often leads parents to wonder: “Does my child need an antibiotic?”
Antibiotics are remarkable medications that save lives when used appropriately. But they only work against bacteria, not viruses. Viruses cause most of the common childhood illnesses we see, especially during cold and flu season. Using antibiotics when they aren’t needed won’t help your child recover more quickly and can actually cause harm by causing side effects and contributing to antibiotic resistance. More resistant bacteria make future infections harder to treat.
Below is a simple guide to help you understand when antibiotics truly help—and when comfort and prevention are the best medicine.
When Are Antibiotics Needed?
Bacterial and viral infections may look similar when you get sick, but they are caused by very different things. Bacteria are microscopic, living, single-cell organisms. Viruses are particles of genetic material carried in a protective coat.
Bacterial infections such as strep throat, whooping cough, and urinary tract infections may require antibiotics.
Viral infections, like the common cold, the flu, and COVID-19, never require antibiotics. Even symptoms like green or yellow mucus—which many parents associate with bacterial illness—are often just part of a normal viral infection. Giving antibiotics for viral infections won’t help your child recover faster and may cause unwanted side effects, like tummy troubles and allergic reactions.
If your child’s health care provider decides your child does need antibiotics, it’s important to take them exactly as prescribed. Give each dose at the right time, complete the full course, and never share or save leftover medication. Any unused antibiotics should be disposed of safely through a pharmacy take-back program.
When Antibiotics Aren’t Needed: What Can I Do?
When your child’s illness doesn’t require antibiotics, supporting their body’s natural healing process becomes the priority.
Plenty of rest, hydration, and age-appropriate medications for fever or discomfort can make a big difference. It’s important to realize that the body creates a fever because it helps the immune system defeat the infection, and a fever is not dangerous. Fevers are uncomfortable, and this is the reason you might give medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Cold compresses or cool baths are simply uncomfortable and are not the best way to lower your child’s temperature.
Ed Milder, MD, MSCE, FAAP
“Antibiotics are incredible medicines. They’ve transformed modern health care. However, they’re not magic wands,” says Ed Milder, MD, MSCE, FAAP, division chief of Infectious Diseases at Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego. “They work beautifully against bacteria, but they don’t touch viruses. When we use antibiotics for the wrong illness, not only do they not help, they actually set us back by driving antibiotic resistance. That means the next time your child truly needs an antibiotic, it may not work as well.”
What Else Can I Do? Preventing Illness
Dr. Milder emphasizes that the best way to avoid unnecessary antibiotics is to avoid getting sick in the first place.
“Handwashing, vaccines, getting enough sleep, and good nutrition are the real everyday superheroes. They prevent many of the infections that worry parents the most. And when antibiotics are the right choice, taking them exactly as prescribed is essential. Responsible use today keeps these lifesaving medicines effective for the future.”
A Note About Vaccines
Why Annual Flu Shots Matter More Than You Think
Many parents wonder whether getting the flu vaccine every year really makes a difference, especially when the strains change. The truth is that consistent vaccination does more than protect against this season’s flu—it helps build a stronger immune defense over time, reducing the risk of severe illness from related strains.
“Getting a flu shot every year isn’t just about today’s virus,” says Dr. Milder. “It builds a foundation of immunity over time. Each dose reinforces your defense against changed or drifted strains, helping your child stay protected even from viruses not included in the current vaccine.”
While our current flu vaccines can’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, they are very good at keeping people out of the hospital and preventing flu-related deaths.
Want to keep your family healthy this cold and flu season?
Visit our Symptom Checker for trusted information and guidance to help you make confident decisions about your child’s health. Plus, explore our First Aid tool and Dosage Tables for practical tips to manage symptoms at home.