Question

The mother of a hospitalized 2-year-old child with viral laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) asks the nurse why the health care provider did not prescribe antibiotics. Which response should the nurse make?

A. "Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections."
B. "Antibiotics can cause further irritation to the airways."
C. "This type of infection doesn't respond to antibiotics."
D. "Antibiotics are only given if bacterial pneumonia develops."

Answer 1

Antibiotics are not prescribed for croup because it is caused by a virus, and antibiotics do not have any effect on viral infections. Additionally, using antibiotics inappropriately contributes to antibiotic resistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mother of a hospitalized 2-year-old child with viral laryngotracheobronchitis (croup) asked why the healthcare provider did not prescribe antibiotics. The nurse should explain that antibiotics are not effective against viral infections. Laryngotracheobronchitis, commonly known as croup, is caused by a viral infection, and therefore, antibiotics would not have any effect on the progression of the disease. Moreover, using antibiotics in the absence of a bacterial infection can lead to antibiotic resistance, which is a significant clinical concern and has made some bacterial pathogens resistant to treatment. In the case of viral respiratory infections like croup, they are often self-limiting, and management focuses on supportive care and symptom relief rather than antimicrobial therapy.