Question
For the past half month, there have been two episodes. The most when checking the stool, there were 4-5 WBCs. Can this be judged as enteritis? Do we need to use amoxicillin or other antibiotics?
Answer
Diarrhea in babies is quite common, as their digestive system is not yet fully developed and is quite delicate, making them prone to diarrhea with slight carelessness. If the white blood cell count (WBC) in the stool reaches 4-5 at its highest, it may be a symptom of enteritis, but further examination is needed to confirm. For enteritis, it is not necessarily necessary to use antibiotics, as enteritis is often caused by viral infections, and antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections. If the doctor believes that the baby’s enteritis is caused by bacterial infection, they may consider using amoxicillin or other antibiotics. However, antibiotics should be used with caution, as misuse can lead to drug resistance. When treating diarrhea and fever, antipyretics can only temporarily relieve symptoms and not cure the root cause. Moderate low-grade fever (not exceeding 38.5 degrees) does not require antipyretics, as fever is a manifestation of the baby’s immune system fighting against pathogens. The key is to identify the cause of the baby’s fever, eliminate the virus or bacteria, and the fever will naturally subside.