What parents need to know about antibiotics for children
Parents want the best for their children, and they especially worry when their kids are sick. Our Plano pediatricians understand those feelings, but prescribing antibiotics for children when they won’t help with symptoms can hurt more than it helps. When a physician prescribes antibiotic medications for viruses or other issues that aren’t bacterial, that is antibiotic overuse.
Use of too many antibiotic medications can lead to antibiotic resistance, meaning bacterial infections that previously responded to the drugs no longer do. When this happens, it can lead to serious infections, such as pneumonia or meningitis.
When do our Plano pediatricians prescribe antibiotics?
Our team is well aware of the proper use of antibiotics, and we do not prescribe this type of medication unless it is necessary. Basically, parents need to understand that antibiotics don’t treat cold or flu viruses. Our physicians prescribe antibiotics for children who have bacterial infections. These kinds of infections cause a wide variety of problems.
- Respiratory problems, such as whooping cough, bacterial pneumonia or bacterial sinus infections
- Strep throat
- Abscesses and skin infections, such as impetigo
- Serious acne problems
- Lyme disease
- UTIs, or urinary tract infections
What parents should know about antibiotic overuse
Often, parents think antibiotics for children should be used to treat all sore throats, earaches or colds. While some sore throats and the occasional earache may need antibiotic medication, viruses cause most of these problems, so prescribing unnecessary drugs could lead to antibiotic overuse.
Antibiotic resistance, or bacterial resistance, is getting worse in the United States. When antibiotics no longer work against certain bacteria, it often leads to serious health issues. Parents can help our physicians by learning more about proper antibiotic usage, and by not insisting on a prescription when the team doesn’t think it will help the child.
Vital information about antibiotics
It is helpful for parents to know more about antibiotics for children, including how to give the medication and how to store it. It’s critical to give the child the exact dosage at the prescribed times. Parents should read all the directions and warnings on the label and store the prescription as directed. For example, parents need to refrigerate some medications.
The most crucial thing for caregivers to remember is that the child must finish all the medication, even if they start to feel better in a day or two. This prevents the infection from reoccurring and fully treats the problem.
Antibiotics can cause side effects, such as nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, yeast infections or a rash. Most of the time, children’s issues clear up when they finish the medication. If a child does have a rash, yeast infection, blood in the stool, severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach pain, parents should call our Plano pediatricians. They should also call if the child’s fever doesn’t go away in 48 hours.
Our pediatricians properly prescribe antibiotics for children
When do kids need antibiotics? Our Plano pediatricians are the experts in this area, and they will only prescribe medication if it will benefit the child. Our team is watchful, and we avoid antibiotic overuse in our practice to protect our young patients. Contact us to learn more or to make an appointment.
