(Antibiotics and Kids first appeared in the Public Opinion newspaper.) Dr. Venkata Konanki, board certified pediatrician at Keystone Pediatrics, says parents need to understand why antibiotics are important and why it’s vital to use antibiotics properly.
History
Antibiotics are medicines used to treat bacterial infections. Following the introduction of antibiotics in 1940s, many lives that were previously lost to bacterial infections have been saved. Over the course of last 70 years, several classes of antibiotics have been introduced to fight the common and uncommon infections caused by bacteria.
Useful medication
Today, antibiotics have become the most commonly prescribed medications, particularly in children to treat common bacterial infections such as ear infections, sinus infections, strep throat, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin infections etc. Though our body’s immune system can fight off some of these infections on its own, many infections require treatment with antibiotics to clear them.
Kills Bacteria Only
Without antibiotics, some of these infections have the potential to result in complications where the infection may spread to parts of the body other than where it first began, particularly in very young infants, children with weak immune systems, and children that are not vaccinated. Antibiotics only work to kill bacteria and will not help a viral infection.
Side Effects
While it is well known that antibiotics help to fight off bacterial infections, there are some common and uncommon side effects associated with their use. Some of the common side effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. They also cause rashes, some of which may be due to an allergic reaction, particularly if there are hives.
Allergic Reaction
Some children may develop a severe allergic reaction, where the child also develops a combination of symptoms such as swelling of the face and/or tongue, difficulty breathing, wheezing, and tightness in the throat or chest. C.diff infection is another relatively common complication following antibiotics use, where the child develops moderate to severe diarrhea with or without blood in stools.
For more information about Keystone Pediatrics, click here.
This article contains general information only and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis, treatment or care by a qualified health care provider.
