Childhood upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). Childhood URTI is one of the commonest reasons for parents to consult in primary care. One would think that this makes it an easy type of consultation for doctors to tackle. However, the age-old antibiotic debate still rears its ugly head and has the potential to lead to much miscommunication and misunderstanding. With antimicrobial resistance high on the public health agenda, these interactions have received particular attention recently. In a study published in Patient Education and Counselling, researchers in Bristol interviewed 30 such parents from a variety of socioeconomic areas.1 They found that parents’ perceptions about the credibility of diagnosis and treatment recommendations were highly …