The short answer
No, it is not a good idea. Most fevers, colds, coughs, sore throats and bouts of diarrhoea in children are caused by viruses, which antibiotics do not treat, and NICE advises doctors not to give antibiotics to a child with a fever and no clear source. An antibiotic chosen without an examination can miss a serious infection, cause side effects, and help germs become resistant, so the medicine fails when your child really needs it. A child who may need an antibiotic needs a doctor first.
See a paediatrician by videoMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Why antibiotics so often do not help
Antibiotics kill bacteria. They do nothing to the viruses behind colds, flu and most coughs, as the NHS puts it. Even for sore throats and ear infections in children, NICE notes that most get better on their own, and often recommends no antibiotic, or one held back to use only if the child is not improving after a few days. Fever is not a reason for an antibiotic in itself.
The harm in giving them anyway
Buying a syrup over the counter, or using a leftover bottle, risks:
- Missing the real problem: malaria, pneumonia, a urine infection or meningitis need the right test and the right treatment, and an antibiotic can hide the signs for a while
- The wrong medicine or the wrong amount: children's doses go by weight, and a leftover bottle was chosen for another illness, another child or another age
- Side effects such as diarrhoea, rashes and allergic reactions
- Resistance: the WHO names misuse and overuse of antibiotics as a main driver of germs that no longer respond to them
When a child does need an antibiotic
A doctor decides after taking a history and, where needed, an examination or a test: for example a confirmed urine infection, a pneumonia, some ear and throat infections, or a skin infection that is spreading. If your child is given one, give it exactly as prescribed and for as long as the doctor says.
What helps instead
For most viral illness: drinks and feeds, rest, light clothes, and fever medicine only if your child is distressed, at the dose for their weight. For diarrhoea, the WHO advises oral rehydration solution (ORS), with zinc, given as a health worker directs. For a fever in Nigeria, a malaria test comes before any antimalarial.
Go to a hospital now
Do not try a medicine at home first. Go to an emergency department if your child:
- Has a fit, or is very drowsy, floppy or hard to wake
- Is struggling to breathe, breathing very fast, grunting, or the chest sucks in under the ribs
- Has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue (on dark skin, check the palms and soles)
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it
- Cannot drink or breastfeed, or vomits everything
- Has a stiff neck, or a bulging soft spot on the head
- Is a baby under three months with a temperature of 38°C or more
What it costs on Mezo
One fixed price, paid online.
Common questions
What is the best antibiotic for a child's cough?
Most coughs are viral and no antibiotic helps. A cough with fast or difficult breathing needs a doctor today, and a hospital now if the chest sucks in or your child is struggling.
Do children need antibiotics for typhoid?
Typhoid is treated with antibiotics, but it must be properly diagnosed first. A Widal test alone cannot confirm it, and the WHO reports that resistance to antibiotics is making typhoid harder to treat, so the doctor chooses the medicine.
Can a paediatrician prescribe antibiotics by video?
Yes, when the paediatrician has good reason to think your child has a bacterial infection. For an ear or chest infection that often means an examination first, and the paediatrician will tell you where.
My child has finished an antibiotic and is still unwell. What now?
See a doctor again. The illness may be viral, a different infection, or need another test. Do not start a second antibiotic on your own.
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Not sure your child needs an antibiotic?
Talk it through with a paediatrician by private video call, with your child beside you. The fee is shown before you pay, and if your child needs to be examined or tested, the paediatrician tells you where and how soon.
See a paediatrician by videoSources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- Fever in under 5s: assessment and initial management (NG143). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Sore throat (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG84). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Otitis media (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG91). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Clinical guideline.
- Antibiotics. NHS. Patient information.
- Antimicrobial resistance. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
- Diarrhoeal disease. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
- Typhoid. World Health Organization. Fact sheet.
Links last checked 29 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.