What antibiotic to give the child? This is a common question. We will understand it in more detail.
A fragile children's organism in the process of growth is often exposed to a variety of pathogens that can cause various diseases of an inflammatory-infectious nature. Similar diseases are treated with antibacterial medications that inhibit the growth and active reproduction of microbes.
According to official statistics, it is necessary to use antibiotics for children of various ages, starting from birth, otherwise complications develop that can cause serious harm to the health of the child, and sometimes even cause death.
Nevertheless, prescribing such drugs to children should only be a doctor who knows a competent approach to the treatment of infectious diseases and can choose the safest and most effective treatment option. The following aspects of the use and purpose of these drugs are taken into account:
- Antimicrobial and antibacterial drugs are prescribed only by specialists based on the clinical manifestations of a particular disease and the results of diagnostic studies.
- Control of medication by the child in accordance with the recommendations of the doctor is carried out by adults.
The above points will help minimize adverse reactions from the use of medications to the body, which parents are very concerned about, and will maximize the recovery of the child.
What antibiotics are there for children?
Types of Antibiotics
In the modern pharmacological market, the list of the most famous antibiotics contains more than ten thousand items, and about five percent of them are actively used to combat pathogenic microflora.
The systematization of such a volume of drugs is carried out according to a number of signs, including the generation of the drug, its pharmaceutical effect on the infectious agent and composition.
One of these classifications involves the division of antibiotics for children according to the spectrum of effects on various types of pathogens:
- Anticoccal, which inhibit the growth of colonies and destroy representatives of the genus Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Clostridia. That such substances as macrolides, lincomycin, cephalosporins.
- Antituberculous antibacterial substances - streptomycin, rifampicin.
- Antifungal drugs - Ketoconazole, Diflucan.
- Substances that counteract gram-negative bacilli - cephalosporins, polymyxins.
- Preparations of a wide spectrum of effects on the infection - amoxicillins, aminoglycosides.
What antibiotic to give the child?
Indications for use
It should be borne in mind that most pathologies accompanied by the release of a large amount of mucus from the nose, cough, fever, do not always require the use of antibacterial agents, since the development of acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections occurs under the influence of viruses that are not susceptible to such drugs. If after five days of illness, instead of recovering, the condition worsens, this means that any bacterial infections have joined the pathogens of the respiratory disease. In this case, the use of narrowly targeted drugs and antibiotics for children is considered quite reasonable.
The following diseases in children are treated with medications that destroy pathogens:
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- acute sinusitis, accompanied by the formation of pus in the frontal or nasal sinuses;
- otitis;
- cystitis;
- paratonsillitis;
- furunculosis;
- pyelonephritis;
- urethritis and others.
As a rule, when the temperature rises, when the disease is not accompanied by other symptoms, antibacterial agents are not prescribed until the child’s diagnosis is reliably established.
In cases when a child enters a medical institution in serious condition, specialists include antibacterial drugs in therapy immediately, and correction of such treatment occurs after receiving laboratory results.
So, consider the best antibiotics for children.
Antibiotics for treating a child
When choosing a medication, the doctor takes into account the well-being of the patient, his weight and age, since all drugs are prescribed, as a rule, taking into account these parameters (for example, a group of tetracyclines is used only when the child reaches the age of eight). What antibiotics should children take?
Often, the following medications are usually included in the prescribed list of antibiotics for treating children:
- "Augmentin", which is a modern combination drug to eliminate the symptoms of bacterial diseases. It can provoke the development of allergic reactions in the body of the child and should not be used to treat newborns and patients up to three months of age. The active components of this drug are amoxicillin, as well as clavulanic acid.
- "Zinnat" - a product that is available in the form of granules for the preparation of a suspension for children and tablets. The solution is widely used in pediatric therapy for children from 3 months, and tablets are used starting from the age of three. The list of antibiotics for children does not end there.
- Amoxicillin is an antibacterial drug that is characterized by a wide range of effects. Use it most often with pneumonia, sinusitis, cystitis, otitis media and pharyngitis, as well as with complicated angina.
- Zinacef is a medicine for the treatment of severe stages of the disease. This medication is available only in the form of a powder for infusion and injection and is administered under the supervision of a specialist.
- "Sumamed" is a group of macrolides, and is produced in the form of powders and tablets. An antibacterial suspension is used from the age of six months, and the medicine in tablet form is for children from 12 years old. Helps to eliminate pathologies such as urethritis, pharyngitis, Lyme disease, gastrointestinal infections, etc.
The benefits of drug suspensions
Powdered drugs, which are intended for the manufacture of a special suspension, have a milder effect on the children's body, as well as good absorption and the absence of the bulk of side effects.
The prescription of such drugs for infants occurs mainly in cases where the occurrence of severe forms of any disease is observed.
Categorically it is impossible to change the dosage of drugs in case of improvement in the general well-being of the child. To cancel the use of the suspension, only a pediatrician can replace the drug.
Antibiotics are used, as a rule, orally, and the dose is calculated taking into account the weight of the baby. The pleasant fruity taste and smell of the drug significantly facilitates the process of treatment and taking it by the child. Typically, these medications last no more than seven days.
Antibiotics for various diseases
In most cases, when infectious pathologies occur in children, specialists prescribe standard treatment regimens, however, the choice of medications should be carried out according to the individual characteristics of each patient. The absence or presence of an allergy to certain medicinal substances, as well as past pathologies, is also taken into account.
To help with the occurrence of tonsillitis in children, macrolides are used, for example, Sumamed or Klacid in the form of suspensions, or Zinnat in syrup. With the development of purulent forms of tonsillitis, Ceftriaxone injections are used.
Suspensions for children Supraks, Flemoxin Solutab, and Fluimucil, which not only destroy pathogenic microflora, but also stimulate the respiratory tract, are very successfully fighting bronchitis.
Colds, complicated by infections, are cured by such medicines as Augmentin, Sumamed, Macropen and Zinnat.
What antibiotics to drink for children, the doctor should prompt.
Pros and cons of antibiotic therapy
The use in the treatment of antibacterial agents has many advantages and disadvantages. The rapid elimination of various pathological conditions in children with antibiotics is very often accompanied by the development of some disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the occurrence of symptoms of microflora changes against the background of a decrease in immunity, as well as various allergic reactions.
In order to reduce the negative impact of medicines on the intestinal flora, specialized infant formulas are additionally prescribed, which contain beneficial microorganisms. It is also necessary to monitor the diet of the child and include fermented milk products in it. Probiotics that actively restore the disturbed balance of beneficial microorganisms in the intestine can be prescribed by a specialist.
Undoubtedly, antibacterial agents help protect the child from a number of diseases, however, it should be remembered that the uncontrolled use of such medications leads to a decrease in immunity and the emergence of resistance to such drugs in pathogenic microorganisms.
Before using antibiotics for children, the instructions must be carefully studied.
Antibiotics for rhinitis and cough
Before you start giving your child an antibiotic, you need to make sure that the pathological symptoms are caused precisely by a bacterial infection. Runny nose and cough are observed, as a rule, in the following diseases:
- bacterial bronchitis;
- tuberculosis;
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy;
- angina;
- damage to the respiratory tract with chlamydia or mycoplasmas;
- purulent tracheitis.
To find out which antibiotics a child should give when coughing, it would be a sensible act to pass sputum to a study, which will help determine the pathogen and choose a medicine. However, in some severe cases of the disease, there is no time for such events, and then antibacterial drugs of a wide spectrum of effects on bacteria are prescribed. Thus, with cough and runny nose, the following medications can be prescribed:
- Penicillins - Amoxicillin, Ospamox, Amoxiclav, Augmentin, Flemoxin Solutab.
- Cephalosporins, which are prescribed in cases where the penicillins did not help the child, are Cefixime, Suprax, Cefuroxime, and Cefotaxime.
- Macrolides - “Sumamed”, “Macropen”, “Rulid”, “Clarithromycin”, “Azithromycin”, “Klacid”, “Azithromycin”.
- Topical antibiotics - Neomycin, Isofra, Bioparox, Framycetin, Novoimanin.
What antibiotic is best for a child to give at a temperature?
High temperature antibiotics
An increase in temperature in children is in most cases observed when a variety of viral infections occur, and antibacterial drugs with ARVI do not give the desired effect, since they only affect bacteria.
The main signs that indicate that the temperature has risen due to the development of a bacterial disease are the following:
- Cases when the child was ill with a catarrhal pathology, however, after recovery, the symptoms of such ailment arose again.
- High temperature (above 38 degrees) lasts more than three days, and antiviral and antipyretic drugs do not have the desired effect.
- First, the child may have a sore throat, then a runny nose is observed, and only after this there is an increase in temperature.
- When symptoms occur slowly and gradually, the infection is most likely not viral, but bacterial.
The most popular antibiotics for children at a temperature are Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone, Klacid, Suprax, Augmentin, Sumamed, Flemoxin Solutab, Cefix, Flemoklav, Cefazolin Solutab ”,“ Azithromycin ”,“ Cefotaxime ”,“ Clarithromycin ”. If an allergic reaction occurs to any remedy, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Antibiotics for children are prescribed with great care at temperature.
Antibacterial drugs for newborns
The younger the child, the stricter the indications for prescribing antibacterial drugs to him. The doctor is required to make sure that the infection is really bacterial, and only then should this or that remedy be prescribed. It is not recommended to start such therapy from the first days of the disease, since the body should have a chance to fight the disease on its own.
As a rule, this kind of medication is prescribed to newborns on the third day, if treatment with other medicines has not yielded positive results. The exceptions are situations in which antibiotic therapy must be started immediately, for example, with meningococcal infection, pneumonia, purulent tonsillitis. It is preferable for babies to prescribe antibiotics in the form of a suspension.
What antibiotics for angina for children to give?
From birth, you can use the following antibiotics: Tavanik, Tsifran, Zinnat, Tsiprolet, Doxycycline, Flemoxin Solutab, Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Cefuroxime, Zinacef, Augmentin "," Cefuroxime ".
The safest antibiotics
Prescribing antibacterial drugs in childhood is extremely undesirable, especially aminoglycosides, since these medications often give complications to the hearing aid, kidneys and other organs. Tetracyclines, which seriously affect bone and cartilage, are also not recommended. Antibiotics, with a relatively small number of side effects, are: Amoxiclav, Amoxicillin, Flemoxin Solutab, Ampicillin, Oxacillin, Aksetin, Zinacef, Zinnat, Cefilim, Cephalexin ”,“ Cefexim ”,“ Sumamed ”,“ Azithromycin ”,“ Hemomycin ”,“ Clarithromycin ”,“ Erythromycin ”,“ Ciprofloxacin ”,“ Moximac ”,“ Moxifloxacin ”,“ Levofloxacin ”,“ Avelox ”.
These are broad-spectrum antibiotics for children.
Reviews
Since young children often suffer from a variety of infectious diseases, there are a lot of reviews about antibiotics for use in children, both positive and negative. Parents note that any of these medications very often causes a number of unpleasant side effects in the child that require additional therapy, for example, dysbiosis and allergic reactions to drug components, including dyes and fruit flavors.
Despite this, the use of antibacterial medicines is a necessary measure in the event of some acute pathologies of an inflammatory and infectious nature, since with some ailments one cannot cope without them.
There are a large number of positive reviews about antibiotics for children. For example, people praise Sumamed, which is most often prescribed for bronchitis, tonsillitis, cystitis; "Amoxiclav" with a mild effect on the children's body; Cefotaxime, which helps fight more complex diseases, such as pneumonia. Parents claim that such drugs easily remove pathological conditions and act very quickly, effectively relieve symptoms of hyperthermia, and also help with a variety of purulent pathologies in children. Side effects from them also exist, but they are most often expressed slightly.
Negative reviews of antibiotics for children are also collected. For example, Clarithromycin, Doxycycline, Erythromycin and some others deserve them. Parents at the same time note that these medications cause severe side effects that, after the underlying disease, are difficult to treat, and in some cases it was noticed that these drugs did not help cure a particular disease. Parents noticed the development of acute diarrhea in their children due to imbalance in the intestinal microflora, signs of thrush on the oral mucosa, and many other side effects.