20/10/2025
SUPER BODIES.
What to do when your child has a common illness
Illnesses like coughs, sore throats and ear ache are extremely common in young children, but did you know… our children’s ‘super bodies’ are designed to fight off many common illnesses, without the need for antibiotics?
These common ailments and can be unpleasant for children and their caregivers, but are most often caused by viral infections and do not need to be treated with antibiotics.
Antibiotics rarely speed up recovery for these conditions and have no effect on viruses.
Instead, our children’s ‘super bodies’ get to work, and most children with a normal immune system and up to date immunisations will recover in the same amount of time with or without antibiotics.
Take a look at the usual recovery times for coughs, sore throats, and ear ache:
How to help your child get well
Find out how to care for your child when they are unwell, and learn what symptoms to look out for and when to get medical help.
Cough
How to feel better at home:
Try to stay home and avoid contact with others if they have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to do their normal activities
Rest and drink plenty of water
Try hot lemon and honey (not suitable for babies under 1 year old)
Think ‘Pharmacy First’ for advice
When to visit your GP:
Their cough lasts for more than 3 weeks
They have a weakened immune system (for example, because of chemotherapy or diabetes)
They are losing weight for no reason
When to call NHS 111:
They are coughing up blood
They find it hard to breathe
If their cough is very bad or quickly gets worse – for example, they have a hacking cough or cannot stop coughing
If they feel very unwell or have chest pain
The side of their neck feels swollen and painful (swollen glands)
Find out more: www.nhs.uk/conditions/cough
Ear ache /Sore throat
You know your children best, so do seek medical help if you are concerned about their symptoms, or if their ‘super bodies’ need a bit more support because they are immunosuppressed or have other existing medical conditions.
Keeping antibiotics working for those in need
Common illnesses such as coughs, ear ache and sore throats don’t usually need treating with antibiotics, and your child will get better without taking unnecessary medication.
In fact, antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat most infections, because:
Many infections in children are caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not effective
Antibiotics are often unlikely to speed up the healing process
Antibiotics can cause unwanted side effects for your child, such as rash and diarrhoea
The more often antibiotics are used to treat minor conditions, the more likely they are to become ineffective for treating more serious conditions
Antibiotic resistance
Overuse of antibiotics means they’re becoming less effective against bacteria and this has led to the emergence of ‘super bugs’. These are strains of bacteria that have developed resistance to many different types of antibiotics.
They can be serious and challenging to treat, and are becoming an increasing cause of disability and death across the world.
Find out more about antibiotic resistance and ‘super bugs’ here.
Super bodies preventing super bugs
Our children’s ‘super bodies’ do amazing work against common illnesses like coughs, sore throats and ear ache.
By preparing ourselves with the information and knowledge to care for them at home, spot more serious symptoms, and know when and where to get help, we can support them to feel better sooner, and without unnecessary use of antibiotics.
