Is my 5 year old, who is taking antibiotic for strep throat, in danger of catching bronchitis?
Antibiotics do not prevent you from catching viral infections, which most bronchitis starts as. So, yes, your child could catch something from others. However, most infections are contagious prior to being symptomatic, so your child is probably already exposed. I would ask people to lay off on the affection stuff a little while they are sick, but honestly, most kids catch all kinds of stuff in childhood. The end result generally is that the immune system is built by being exposed to and developing antibodies to diseases. Nevertheless, I don’t blame you for being a little concerned about a child who is recovering from strep.
