When should a baby be given antibiotics? When do children need antibiotics? Indications for the use of antibiotics for children

If the intended beneficial effect from antibiotics exceeds negative impact antimicrobial agents on children's body, the doctor prescribes antibacterial therapy. The form in which the drugs will be prescribed largely influences the mood of the child during treatment.

If taking medications turns into a painful procedure, unpleasant and tasteless, it will be difficult for moms and dads to explain to the baby that the doctor is good man, and the medicine prescribed by him will help the baby recover.

Peculiarities

Antibiotics in the form of a suspension are often called “children’s antibiotics” by parents. Indeed, medications in this form are very convenient to give to newborns, infants, and older children. After all, a child, even at 5-6 years old, cannot always swallow a pill on his own, and caring parents naturally do not want to give injections to children, if there is a worthy and gentler alternative.

If the doctor does not insist on injections, then it makes sense to ask him whether it is possible to purchase the prescribed antibiotic in the form of a suspension.

Manufacturers grind the solid into powder or crush it into granules in factories. This product is then packaged in bottles.

It is very simple to prepare a suspension at home: just add chilled boiled water to the mark on the bottle into the pharmacy bottle. Moreover, first you need to fill half of the required amount, mix thoroughly, shake, let stand for a while, and then top up to the mark and mix thoroughly again so that there is no sediment left at the bottom of the bottle. Measure the resulting substance using a measuring syringe or spoon to the desired dose.

Typically, modern suspensions have a rather pleasant odor and fruity taste, the child does not need to be persuaded to take such medicine for a long time.

Antibiotic drugs in the form of a suspension are created primarily for children. They are intended for infants, infants, children under 5-6 years old, and sometimes older, if the child is capricious and refuses to take pills on his own. From the age of 12, children are allowed to take capsules.

For the convenience of parents, suspensions are available in various dosages, i.e. concentration active substance in a dry preparation it varies.

Indications

Antibiotics in the form of a suspension can be prescribed to children for various ENT diseases, for intestinal infections caused by bacilli and bacteria, for dental diseases, for inflammation genitourinary system, during rehabilitation after operations.

For viral infections - influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, scarlet fever, chickenpox, measles, mononucleosis, antibiotics should not be taken!

The need to take antibiotics should be decided by a doctor, especially since since that year antibacterial drugs can no longer be purchased freely; the pharmacist will definitely ask you for a prescription.

Review of drugs

Suprax

A strong and effective antibiotic of the cephalosporin group is prescribed for neglected form illness, if it is severe or if antibiotics are weaker ( penicillin group or groups of macrolides) had no effect. The drug will be prescribed for bacterial infections respiratory tract, for pharyngitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, for diseases urinary tract caused by microbes, such as cystitis. A child may be prescribed Suprax for otitis media.

The pharmacy will offer you a children's version of the antibiotic - granules for preparing a suspension. It needs to be done in two stages. First add 40 mg chilled boiled water. Shake and let sit. Then add the rest of the liquid to the mark on the bottle. Shake again so that no undissolved particles remain.

Pantsef

A powerful third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic will be prescribed to children with complex pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and tonsillitis. The drug is effective in the treatment of sinusitis, acute or chronic bronchitis, purulent otitis. In pharmacies, Pancef is available both in granules for diluting the suspension, and in powder, which is used for the same purposes. Capacity – 100 mg.

The suspension should also be prepared in two steps, adding water and shaking until the substance is homogeneous.

The dosage of the drug is calculated according to the formula, depending on weight, age and severity of the disease.

The suspension is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 14 days.

Klacid

This is a macrolide antibiotic that is often prescribed for bronchitis, pneumonia, pharyngitis and otitis. Effective for skin infections. The pharmacist can offer you powders for preparing a suspension in 125 mg and 250 mg packaging. "Klacida" has distinguishing feature. This suspension can be given to the child with, before or after food. It doesn't have of great importance. In addition, the suspension can be washed down with milk (it is usually contraindicated to take antibacterial drugs with milk).

It is worth paying attention to the concentration of the drug. When using Klacida 250, in 5 ml. The medicine will contain 250 ml. antibiotic. It turns out that 150 mg. the medications needed for a child weighing 20 kg will be contained in 3 ml. suspensions.

The finished suspension should be stored for no more than 14 days.

Cephalexin

The first generation cephalosporin antibiotic is used to treat children with the most various diseases upper and lower respiratory tract. The doctor will recommend Cephalexin for bacterial diseases genitourinary system – for cystitis, pyelonephritis, urethritis, etc.

The pharmacy will offer you suspension powders of different “calibers” - 125 mg, 250 and 500 mg. As well as granules, from which you can also prepare a suspension in a 250 mg bottle. You should take the prepared suspension about an hour before meals.

Ready suspension should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks.

Azithromycin

This one is strong and universal antibiotic wide range action quickly copes with microorganisms - the causative agents of tonsillitis, sore throat, including purulent, otitis, with atypical diseases respiratory organs caused by chlamydia and mycoplasma.

The drug will benefit the child with skin infections and some stomach ailments. Azithromycin suspension is available in concentrations of 100 and 200 mg. The drug is not recommended for children under six months of age.

Macropen

A worthy representative of the macrolide group can be recommended by a doctor for bronchitis, even chronic, otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, diphtheria and whooping cough. The medicine can be purchased in the form of a suspension, or rather in the form of dry granules for further dilution.

Azitrox

A macrolide antibiotic that is quickly absorbed and quickly eliminated from the body without accumulating in tissues. It is recommended for a child suffering from bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis, including purulent otitis media. The drug is very effective for sinusitis, sore throat, tonsillitis, as well as for some inflammations Bladder, ureters. A suspension of this antibiotic can be made from ready-made pharmaceutical powder.

Augmentin

Common in pediatrics antimicrobial drug of the penicillin family helps cope with respiratory infections and ENT diseases. It has proven to be equally effective in treating a number of urinary tract infections, as well as infections of bones and joints. In pharmacies, pharmacists have three concentrations of dry matter for preparing the “children's form” - 125 mg, 200 mg and 400 mg.

Children weighing more than 40 kg are given doses, according to the instructions for use, similar to doses for adults. The prepared suspension should be stored for no more than one week.

Amoxicillin

Probably the most popular antibiotic. It is prescribed for children for tonsillitis, pneumonia, otitis media and bronchitis. Very effective against pathogens of cystitis and pyelonephritis. May be the mainstay of the treatment regimen typhoid fever, cholecystitis. It is prescribed for meningitis and salmonellosis. The suspension is available in granules for subsequent dilution in a single concentration of 250 mg.

The prepared suspension can be stored for no more than two weeks.

Amoxiclav

Also quite a popular antibiotic of the penicillin family. Prescribed for various ENT diseases and respiratory ailments. Can be prescribed for the treatment of cystitis, urethritis, bone and muscle infections. There are three options - bottles of dry matter are available in pharmacies at 125, 250 and 400 mg.

The prepared suspension should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container for no more than one week.

Ospamox

A penicillin antibiotic is often prescribed by pediatricians for the treatment of otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis, including chronic bronchitis, skin infections and soft tissue diseases caused by microbes.

Available on pharmacy shelves big choice substances for the preparation of Ospamox suspensions. This is a dry substance in concentrations of 125, 250 and 500 mg and granules of 125 and 250 mg.

Dosage

The suspension cannot be washed down with milk!

Zinnat

A second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic can be prescribed by a doctor to a child for the treatment of pneumonia, bronchi, complex lung abscess, tonsillitis, otitis, infectious skin ailments. Copes perfectly with microbes that cause cystitis and pyelonephritis. In pharmacies, among other forms, it is available in granules for self-diluted suspension.

Infants under 3 months of age are not prescribed antibiotics.

Antibacterial drugs should only be used for infections caused by bacteria. In a hospital for severe and life-threatening infectious diseases (for example, meningitis - inflammation of the membranes of the brain, pneumonia - pneumonia, etc.), responsibility for the correct choice of medicine lies entirely with the doctor, who is based on observation data of the patient ( clinical picture) and on the results of special studies.

For mild infections occurring in “home” (outpatient) conditions, the situation is fundamentally different. The doctor examines the child and prescribes medications, and sometimes this is accompanied by explanations and answers to questions, sometimes not. Often, parents themselves ask the doctor to prescribe an antibiotic. In such situations, it is sometimes psychologically easier for a pediatrician to write a prescription than to risk his reputation and waste time explaining the inappropriateness of such a prescription.

In any case, the doctor must follow two basic principles antibacterial therapy:

Rapid prescription of the most effective drugs in cases where their effect has been proven.
Maximum Application Reduction antibacterial drugs in all other cases.

Reliable external signs or simple and cheap laboratory methods Unfortunately, there is no way to distinguish between the viral and bacterial nature of respiratory tract infections. At the same time, it is known that acute rhinitis (runny nose) and acute bronchitis(inflammation of the bronchial mucosa) are almost always caused by viruses, and tonsillitis (inflammation palatine tonsils and pharynx), acute otitis (inflammation of the ear) and sinusitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the paranasal sinuses) in a significant proportion of cases - by bacteria.

It is natural to assume that approaches to antibacterial therapy for individual acute upper respiratory tract infections should be somewhat different.

Runny nose and bronchitis

At acute rhinitis(runny nose) and bronchitis, antibacterial drugs are not indicated. In practice, everything happens differently: one or two days elevated temperature and a cough in a child, parents, as a rule, do not give the child antibacterial drugs. But then they begin to fear that bronchitis will be complicated by pneumonia, and decide to use antibiotics. It is worth noting here that such a complication is possible, but it practically does not depend on previous use of antibacterial drugs. The main signs of the development of pneumonia are deterioration of the condition (further increase in body temperature, increased cough, and the appearance of shortness of breath). In such a situation, you should immediately call a doctor who will decide whether the treatment needs to be adjusted.

If the condition does not worsen, but does not improve significantly, then there is no obvious reason for prescribing antibacterial drugs. However, it is during this period that some parents cannot stand it and begin to give drugs to their children “just in case.”

It should be especially noted that the very popular criterion for prescribing antibacterial drugs for viral infections - maintaining an elevated temperature for 3 days - is absolutely not justified. The natural duration of the febrile period during viral respiratory tract infections in children varies significantly; fluctuations are possible from 3 to 7 days, and sometimes more. More long-term preservation so-called low-grade fever(37.0-37.5 0 C) is not necessarily related to the development bacterial complications, or may be a consequence of completely different reasons. In such situations, the use of antibiotics is doomed to failure.

A typical sign of a viral infection is a persistent cough that improves general condition and normalization of body temperature. It must be remembered that antibacterial drugs are not antitussives. In this situation, parents have ample opportunities to use folk antitussives. Cough is a natural defense mechanism and is the last of all symptoms of the disease to disappear. However, if a child has an intense cough that persists for 3-4 weeks or more, it is necessary to look for its cause.

Otitis

At acute otitis media The tactics of antibacterial therapy are different, since the probability of the bacterial nature of this disease reaches 40-60%. Taking this into account, until recently, antibacterial drugs were prescribed to all patients.

As practice shows, acute otitis is characterized by intense pain in the first 24-48 hours, then in most children the condition improves significantly and the disease goes away on its own. After 48 hours, symptoms persist in only a third of young patients. There are interesting calculations showing that if antibacterial drugs are prescribed to all children with acute otitis, then they can provide some help (reducing the febrile period and duration of pain) only to those patients who should not have independently Get well soon. Only 1 in 20 children can be like this.

What will happen to the remaining 19 children? Upon admission modern drugs a group of penicillins, such as amoxicillin or augmentin, nothing particularly bad will happen. 2-3 children may develop diarrhea or skin rashes, which will quickly disappear after stopping the drugs, but recovery will not speed up. As in the case of bronchitis, the prescription of antibacterial drugs for otitis media does not prevent the development purulent complications. Complicated forms of otitis develop with equal frequency in both children who received and did not receive antibacterial drugs.

](http://db.site/)

Has now been developed new tactics for prescribing antibacterial drugs for acute otitis media. It is advisable to prescribe antibacterial drugs to all children under 6 months of age, even with a questionable diagnosis of acute otitis (find out that small child It’s the ear that hurts, it’s not that simple).

At the age of 6 months to 2 years with a questionable diagnosis (or mild flow) acute otitis media, the prescription of antibiotics can be postponed, limiting itself to monitoring the child - the so-called expectant management. Naturally, during observation, children must be given painkillers and, if necessary, antipyretics. If his condition does not improve within 24-48 hours, then antibacterial therapy must be started.

Of course, in this case, increased demands are placed on parents. First, talk to your doctor about when to give antibiotics and what signs of illness to look out for. The main thing is to be able to objectively assess the dynamics of pain, its increase or decrease, and notice in time the appearance of new signs of the disease - cough, rash, etc. Parents should be able to contact a doctor by phone, and also have a written prescription for an antibiotic.

In children over 2 years of age, waiting and observing for 48 hours is the most preferable tactic, except in cases of severe disease (temperature above 39 0 C, intense pain).

Pneumonia

If pneumonia is diagnosed or there is serious suspicion of this pathology, the tactics of antibacterial therapy differ from the two previous cases.

Certain age groups of children are characterized by certain features of the predominant pathogens. Thus, under the age of 5-6 years, according to some researchers, up to 50% of cases of pneumonia can be caused by viruses. At an older age, the likelihood viral nature pneumonia is significantly reduced and the role of bacteria (pneumococci) in the development of pneumonia increases. However, in all age groups common pathogen of this disease is pneumococcus, which causes a severe course of the disease. That is why pneumonia is an absolute indication for antibiotic therapy.

To combat some infections that a child may have, it is recommended that he or she be given antibiotics for children. Some parents are completely afraid to use such drugs, while others, on the contrary, consider them a panacea. Antibacterial agents, when taken correctly, will not harm the child. Read which of them will help you cure your baby from certain diseases.

What are antibiotics for children

This is the name for drugs, both natural and synthetic, that suppress the vital activity of bacteria and some fungi that are causative agents of severe infectious diseases. Antibiotics do not help against viral diseases. There are a lot of such drugs side effects, therefore children can be treated with them only as prescribed by a doctor. As a rule, they are prescribed if the disease is severe.

When are antibiotics prescribed to children?

The drugs are intended for the treatment of bacterial and infectious diseases. They are prescribed to a small patient if the body cannot overcome the pathogen on its own. Treatment process it is better to carry out in a hospital so that the doctor can constantly monitor the condition little patient. In the first days of the disease, antibiotic therapy is not used. If the disease does not go away, the doctor determines the nature of the pathogen and prescribes a medication that will be effective against it.

There is a list of diseases for which antibiotic treatment is mandatory:

pneumonia;
meningitis;
acute and chronic sinusitis;
infections urinary system;
spicy and otitis media;
scarlet fever;
acute sinusitis;
streptococcal tonsillitis;
paratonsillitis;
acute pyelonephritis;
purulent sore throat.

It would not be amiss to list those diseases and conditions for which it is useless to use antibiotic therapy for a child:

Acute respiratory viral infection (ARVI).
Increased body temperature.
Intestinal infections accompanied by loose stools.

Distinguish viral disease(ARVI) from a bacterial infection can be difficult, so sometimes the doctor can prescribe medications based on the baby’s condition, and not accurate diagnosis. This happens if:

The baby is less than three months old and his body temperature does not fall below 38 degrees for more than three days.
There is a shooting pain in the ear and fluid is leaking from it.
After improvement, the health condition worsened again on the sixth day of illness.
Plaque appeared on the tonsils.
Submandibular lymph nodes increased.
It came out of my nose purulent discharge, the voice became nasal, pain appeared in the forehead or nasal sinuses.
Dry cough lasts longer than 10 days.

Types of antibiotics for children

Preparations can be natural or synthetic origin. It is more convenient for babies to give medications in the form of suspensions or tablets, but especially severe cases injections are also prescribed. Each group of drugs affects certain types of pathogens. Sometimes it is more appropriate to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics, although they have many side effects. This happens in the following cases:

There is no time to determine the causative agent of the disease. If the infection is very severe and spreads quickly, this treatment strategy is used.
The causative bacteria are resistant to antibiotics with a narrow spectrum of action. If medications have been used before, the body may not respond to their effects.
There are several causative agents.

Penicillins

Appointed when acute sinusitis, otitis, tonsillitis, scarlet fever, skin infections. Penicillin drugs often cause allergies and addiction. Gradually the body stops responding to their influence. However, in this category most medicines, which can be prescribed from birth. List of drugs of the penicillin group:

Amoxicillin (from birth to 5 years - in suspension, the dose is selected according to the weight and age of the child);
Amoxiclav (antibiotic suspension for children over one year old);
Augmentin (powder for suspensions allowed from birth);
Ampicillin;
Flemoxin Solutab (allowed from birth, dosage is calculated by weight);
Amosin.

Macrolides

Antibiotics of this type are approved by strict indications. As a rule, they are prescribed for severe pneumonia, exacerbation chronic tonsillitis, whooping cough, severe sore throat, sinusitis, acute otitis from three months. They do not kill bacteria, but prevent their action. Macrolide group drugs:

Azithromycin;
Chemomycin;
Azitral;
Sumamed ordinary and Forte;
Azitrox;
Zitrolide;
Azicide;
Zetamax;
Azimed;
Erythromycin;
Clarithromycin;
Ecositrin;
Ormax;
Clubax;
Fromilid;
Klacid;
Macropen;
Rulid.

Cephalosporin antibiotics for children

Drugs in this group are prescribed for severe and acute infections. They are semi-synthetic, have a gentler effect on the body than penicillins, very rarely cause allergies and are considered more effective. Cephalosporin drugs that are allowed to be prescribed to children:

Cefixime (suspension is given from six months, and capsules are given to older adolescents, from 12 years);
Cefotaxime;
Pantsef;
Zinnat;
Cefuroxime;
Axetil;
Ceftriaxone;
Zinacef (helps with respiratory infections, meningitis, joint diseases, available in powder form for injection)
Ceforal Solutab;
Suprax (cephalospori new drug third generation, produced in granules for the production of suspensions, permitted from six months);
Cephalexin.

Tetracyclines

Drugs in this group are effective against many bacteria and some fungi. The most common drugs:

Tetracycline;
Doxycycline.

Aminoglycosides

Universal drugs that are resistant not only to bacteria, but also to other antibiotics. Prescribed for the treatment of infections of the genitourinary tract and respiratory organs. List of drugs:

Gentamicin;
Streptomycin.

Quinols

Drugs in this group are very strong, so they are not prescribed to children under 18 years of age. Among the many side effects, it is worth highlighting that fluoroquinols disrupt the formation of cartilage. List of drugs in this group:

Ofloxacin;
Tarivid;
Zanotsin;
Zoflox;
Avelox;
Ciprofloxacin;
Ecotsifol;
Cyprinol;
Tsifran;
Ciprobay;
Tsipromed;
Tsiprolet;
Levofloxacin;
Eleflox;
Levolet;
Ecolevid;
Glevo;
Hyleflox;
Lefoccin;
Floracid;
Flexid;
Tavanik.

Antifungal

You can get rid of diseases caused by fungal pathogens with the help of the following medications:

Amphotericin;
Levorin;
Ketoconazole;
Nystatin.

Features of application

When giving antibiotics to children, mom and dad need to follow several rules:

Only the attending physician should make the choice of drug, determine the dosage and treatment regimen, when a bacterial infection can be confirmed. Self-medication with antibiotics can lead to dire consequences, especially if we're talking about about a fragile body.
Antibacterial drugs should be taken strictly by the clock, at the same time.
To take a tablet or suspension, you need to use only clean still water.
At the same time, drugs should be given to restore the microflora in the gastrointestinal tract. They and vitamins to strengthen the immune system should be taken for some time after completion of antibiotic therapy.
Treatment tactics need to be adjusted immediately if the baby gets worse or his condition has not changed for two days, very strong adverse reactions or thanks laboratory research blood or other biomaterial, it was possible to identify the pathogen.
If it turns out that the infection is not bacterial, you should stop taking antibiotics.
Antibacterial drugs should not be combined with antihistamines, immunomodulators, antifungal agents.
If the remedy is chosen correctly, the child will feel better on the second or third day. However, this does not mean that treatment should be stopped. You need to take the antibiotic for as many days as recommended by the doctor.

For cough and runny nose

Before giving an antibiotic, you need to make sure that unpleasant symptoms caused by a bacterial infection. Cough and runny nose can occur with the following diseases:

bacterial bronchitis;
tuberculosis;
pneumonia;
pleurisy;
sore throat;
damage to the respiratory tract by mycoplasmas or chlamydia;
purulent tracheitis.

The most reasonable thing would be to have your sputum analyzed to determine the pathogen in order to select the most appropriate antibiotic. However, with very feeling unwell, there is no time for this, and then broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed for children. The medicine is chosen taking into account the age and weight of the patient. Which children's antibiotic for cough and runny nose the following may be prescribed:

Penicillins. With a runny, dry or wet cough Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Flemoxin Solutab, Augmentin, Ospamox may be prescribed.
Cephalosporins. These medications are prescribed if penicillin drugs have not given an effect or have already been used a couple of months ago: Cefixime, Cefuroxime, Suprax, Cefotaxime.
Macrolides. Medicines in this group that are prescribed for cough and runny nose: Sumamed, Rulid, Macropen, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin, Klacid.

Antibiotic therapy has a gentler and safer effect on the body for local application. If a child has a runny nose, some medications are used as nasal drops. Local antibiotics for colds for children:

Neomycin;
Framycetin;
Isofra;
Novoimanin;
Bioparox.

At high temperature

It’s worth starting with the fact that such a symptom in most cases is characteristic of viral infections, and antibiotics for acute respiratory viral infections in children (as well as in adults) are ineffective. What signs indicate that the temperature has risen due to bacterial disease:

The child recently had a cold, but soon after recovery all the symptoms of the illness returned.
Temperatures above 38 degrees last for three days. Antipyretic and antivirals however, they do not work.
First, the throat hurts, then a runny nose appears, and only later the temperature rises. If symptoms come on gradually and slowly, the infection is likely bacterial rather than viral.

What medications can be prescribed for a disease in which one of the symptoms is fever:

Ampicillin;
Ceftriaxone;
Amoxicillin;
Klacid;
Augmentin;
Suprax;
Sumamed;
Cefix;
Flemoxin Solutab;
Cefazolin;
Flemoklav Solutab;
Cefotaxime;
Azithromycin;
Clarithromycin.

Antibiotics for newborns

The younger the baby, the stricter the indications for prescribing antibacterial drugs should be. The doctor must make sure that the infection is bacterial, and only then prescribe this or that medicine. You should not give your child antibiotics from the first days of illness; you need to give the body a chance to fight on its own. As a rule, antibacterial drugs are prescribed to newborns on days 3-5 if treatment with other means has not produced results. Exceptions in which antibiotic therapy should be started immediately:

meningococcal infection;
pneumonia;
chronic pathologies;
purulent sore throat.

It is preferable to give antibiotics to infants in the form of a suspension or powder dissolved in water. The dosage is determined only by the doctor, calculating it based on the child’s weight and age. What medications can be prescribed from birth:

Tavanik;
Tsiprolet;
Tsifran;
Amoxicillin;
Doxycycline;
Cefuroxime;
Ampicillin;
Augmentin;
Flemoxin Solutab;
Cefuroxime;
Zinnat;
Zinatsef.

The safest antibiotic

It is extremely undesirable for children to be prescribed aminoglycosides, because these drugs can cause complications on the kidneys, hearing aid, many other organs. It is not recommended to treat a small patient with tetracyclines, which seriously affect cartilage and bone tissue. Antibacterial drugs with a relatively small list of side effects.

IN childhood it is very difficult to avoid infections. Some of them require treatment. Parents are often frightened by the need to take antibiotics, because there are many myths among people about their endless harm to the body.

However, it should be remembered that the doctor prescribes antibiotic treatment only when the benefit significantly outweighs the harm. At correct use and following all recommendations, side effects can be kept to a minimum.

Antibiotics for children: features of use

The doctor will carefully examine your throat, possibly take a swab and give a referral for further examination. If confirmed bacterial etiology disease, the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic.

An antibiotic in suspension for a child’s cough is selected taking into account his age and diagnosis. Most often, children are prescribed the following drugs:

Azithromycin. It is considered very effective drug, in some cases it is prescribed after a weaker antibiotic if there has been no progress. It is not recommended to be given to children under 6 months. Available in both suspension and capsules. Children under 6 years of age are given a suspension. Side effects are rare, but diarrhea and nausea are possible.
. Antibiotic from the Macrolide group. Analog of Azithromycin. Available in powder form for preparing a suspension. It tastes pleasant, smells like strawberries, but is not cloying. Children drink it with pleasure. It is prescribed for various ENT diseases, including severe cough caused by bronchitis, pneumonia. The drug is given to the child once a day, before or after meals. The bottle of powder is diluted completely with water, and then shaken before each use.
. The antibiotic is also from the Macrolide group. Very effective, has a wide spectrum of action. Capsules for diluting the suspension have Orange color and banana aroma when diluted. The dosage is prescribed depending on the child’s body weight. The dose is usually divided into two doses throughout the day.

For throat diseases

Sore throat in a child - treatment with antibiotics

There are a great many throat diseases. They can wear different character, have different etiologies.

In children, the most common infection is bacterial, which is accompanied by purulent plaque on the tonsils, viral,. The throat may hurt in each case, but treatment is selected individually. For bacterial infections such as tonsillitis and purulent tonsillitis, the doctor may prescribe.

Similar diseases in acute and chronic course can lead to various (probability of complications in children preschool age increased). To avoid this, antibiotic treatment should be started immediately after the doctor's recommendation.

Most often, an antibiotic is prescribed in suspension for throat diseases in a child.

The most popular are Amoxicillin, Amoxiclav, Suprax. Let's take a closer look at their action:

Amoxicillin. This is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. For children under 6 years of age, granules for preparing a suspension are sold. It has a raspberry or strawberry flavor. The drug tends to enhance allergic reactions, so it is not prescribed to children with asthma and dermatitis. Side effects include nausea, vomiting, dysbacteriosis, and allergies in the form of a rash.
Amoxiclav. The drug contains amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, which enhances its effect. It is often prescribed for pharyngitis. The suspension has no age restrictions. You can give it even to newborn children if necessary, but reducing the dosage. Usually the drug is given to the child 2 times a day, with severe course illness 3 times.
Suprax. This is a new drug, a powerful antibiotic with a very wide spectrum of action. It is classified as a “reserve” and is prescribed when the previous drug is ineffective and the etiology of the disease is unknown. If you start treatment right away with this strong drug, bacteria will stop reacting to less strong antibiotics. The suspension is diluted immediately in the bottle. Take it 1-2 times a day for at least a week. It is not recommended to give the drug to children under six months of age. The drug has a number of side effects from allergic reaction to dysbacteriosis and thrush.

Most often, mothers worry about their child up to one year old and try to protect them from infections and various medications. Therefore, the need to take antibiotics in infancy is a subject of fierce debate between mothers and pediatricians.

For small infants under one year of age, the range of antibiotics is narrowed. At this time the body is still weakened, the immune system has not fully formed, and there are enough problems with the intestines even without antibiotics.

Certainly, similar drugs affect the intestinal microflora, reduce immunity. However, in some cases, serious infections cannot be treated without antibiotics. The infection can be life-threatening for the child, and the mother, when refusing treatment, must be aware of this.

The doctor prescribes the drug in the form of a suspension and, as a rule, prescribes a probiotic at the same time.

But even in this case, dysbiosis can appear. You should not interrupt the course without a doctor’s recommendation, as this can only worsen the course of the disease. The infection may return, but with immunity to the antibiotic. The doctor will have to select a new drug and prescribe treatment again.

Most medications are contraindicated for infants under 6 months of age. There are several suspensions that are relatively safe for a child at this age. These are Amoxiclav, Amoxicillin, Sumamed. Small children should not be given antibiotics from the Tetracycline group. They affect the formation of tooth enamel. As a result, the child’s teeth initially grow weak.

Video - Antibiotics for children: prescription and proper use.

No need to interrupt breast-feeding if the child is taking antibiotics. Against, breast milk will strengthen his body and help cope with both infection and dysbacteriosis.

An infant can only be given an antibiotic in the form of a suspension, but not in the form of tablets or injections.Prescribe an antibiotic infant Only a doctor can. If you decide to treat a child with such drugs, you cannot interrupt the course of treatment or increase the dosage yourself. If the drug is ineffective, the doctor will change it to another, but the dosage must be age-appropriate.The mother must follow a schedule for taking the drug so that the level of the substance in the blood is maintained at a constant level, only then the child can recover faster.

Pros and cons of using antibiotics

Antibiotics for children - benefits and harms

"Healed immunity." This is what people call a decrease in immunity as a result of frequent use antibiotics. It occurs when unreasonably frequent treatment antibiotics when bacteria develop immunity. The child begins to get sick often, and treatment no longer helps.
Relapses of the disease. If you interrupt the course in the middle when the first improvements appear, it may come back again, since the improvements do not mean that all the bacteria have died.
Dysbacteriosis. Common problem during treatment even if all the rules are followed. If the doctor has prescribed probiotics, they should be given to the child to reduce the impact on the intestinal microflora.
Toxic effects on the body. back side- it too long-term use antibiotics. There is no need to continue giving them if there is no improvement. The bacteria are clearly insensitive to the drug, and further use will lead to poisoning and weakening of the body.

Prescribing antibiotics to children is a difficult choice not only for mom or dad, but sometimes even for the pediatrician or family doctor. Sometimes doctors, due to frequent illnesses crumbs and frequent use antibacterial drugs, you have to rack your brains to answer the question of which antibiotic is best to prescribe to a child. Unlike an adult, a little person can only be given certain groups antibiotics. What kind of antibiotics these are and at what age can they be given to children, we will tell you in our article.

What broad-spectrum antibiotics can be given to children?

Penicillin series. Amoxicillin can be taken immediately after birth - from 0 years.
- Protected penicillins: Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid, can be given to children from 2 years;
Cephalosporins can be taken preferentially from 6 months(this applies to first, second and third generation cephalosporins), ceftriaxone in the form of injections is prescribed from birth.
Macrolides - Azithromycin - can be taken from 6 months.

Which antibiotic is best for children?

There is no correct answer to this question. And the question, to be honest, is not entirely correct, since the choice of antibiotic depends on many factors:

what pathogen caused the disease, whether the antibiotic is sensitive to it or not;
severity of the disease;
the age of the child (some antibiotics can be given to children immediately after birth, some from 6 months, and some from 6 years);
when was the last time you took an antibiotic and what kind;
individual intolerance and allergic reactions.

Amoxicillin - modern analogues

Children from 0 years of age are allowed to use penicillin antibiotics. The most common drugs from this group today are Amoxicillin. If your child has not previously taken any antibiotics or takes them very rarely, the last dose was more than 3 months ago, then amoxicillin will become a reliable assistant in the fight against bacterial infection. It can be taken for tonsillitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, sinusitis, even pneumonia. For skin and biliary tract infections. Amoxicillin is also included in the treatment protocol peptic ulcer or gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori.

Amoxicillin - analogues for children, list of drugs

Amoxil;
Flemoxin;
Amosin;
Ecobo;
Amoxil DT;
Amoxicillin Solutab - Kredofarm;
Amoxicillin Solutab - Norton;
Amoxicillin - Astrapharm;
Amoxicillin - Forte;
Ospamox;
Amofast;
V-Mox;
Graximol;
Iramox;
Hiconcil.

Amoxicillin for children dosage in tablets, suspension and syrup

The dose of amoxicillin for children is calculated very simply. For the youngest children - from birth to 2 years - the dose of amoxicillin is 20 mg/kg per day. It should be used in two doses per day. Calculation example: a child weighs 10 kg 10 x 20 = 200 mg per day. We divide this into two doses, it turns out that 100 mg 2 times a day. If we take a suspension of 125 mg/5 ml, then we need to give the child 4 ml of amoxicillin 2 times a day. Antibiotics from this group are in different forms(in tablets and capsules of 250 mg, 500 mg and 1000 mg; in the form of suspensions of 125 mg/5 ml in 100 ml or 60 ml bottles; in the form of suspensions of 250 mg/5 ml in 60 ml or 100 ml). Children who are over 2 years old and weigh less than 40 kg, daily dose is 25-90 mg/kg. It all depends on the child’s weight and the severity of the infection.

For children who have already taken the above antibiotics, and those who have developed resistance to penicillins, there are protected penicillins. The same amoxicillin, but in combination with clavulanic acid. Clavulanic acid has antibacterial effect, but its main advantage is that it inhibits beta-lactamases, and helps penicillin work against penicillin-resistant infections. The antibacterial spectrum is the same as that of amoxicillin.

Here is a list of the most famous combinations of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid:

Augmentin;
Amoxiclav;
Amoxil K;
Flemoclav;
Honeyclave;
Arlet;
Amovycombe;
Amoxivan;
Abiklav;
A-Klav-Pharmex;
Amox-Apo-Clav;
Coact;
Amoxiplus Farmunion;
Betaclave;
Camox-Klav;
Klavam;
Clavamitin;
Clavuxicin;
Klamox;
Novaklav;
Panclave;
Rapiklav;
Theraclave.

As you can see, the list of protected penicillins is quite extensive. This suggests that this combination of amoxicillin with clavulanic acid is a very successful combination that has a good healing effect not only in children, but also included in care protocols for many diseases for adults. It must be taken by children who are already 2 years old. No studies have been conducted on younger children. And clavulanic acid itself has a certain toxic effect Therefore, for very young children under 2 years old, we choose pure amoxicillin, and for older children, protected penicillins with clavulanic acid are also available. The dosage is calculated in the same way as for pure amoxicillin (see above).

Is it possible to give azithromycin to children?

Another antibiotic that can be used in children is azithromycin. It belongs to the group of macrolides and is approved for use from 6 months. Original drug is Summed. Azithromroicin is active against bacterial infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract, diseases of the ENT organs, skin infections, and infections of the genitourinary system. In general, it is also a representative of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Available in the form of tablets, capsules and suspension (syrup).

Azithromycin synonyms - drug analogues

Azidrop;
Azithro-Sandoz;
Azitral;
Azitrox;
Azithromycin Zentiva, - Forte, -OBL, - Red Star, - Health, etc.
Zitrolide;
AzitRus;
Zitrolide Forte;
Z-Factor;
Safocid;
Sweetrox;
Chemomycin;
Sumamed;
Ecomed;
Ziomycin;
Azimed;
Zitrox;
Ormax.

Available in capsules and tablets of 125 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg and 1000 mg. For children, the relevant dose is 125 mg - 250 mg in capsules and suspensions of 100 mg/5 ml and 200 mg/5 ml. Children aged 6 months and older are prescribed at the rate of 10 mg/kg body weight 1 time/day for 3 - 6 days, depending on the nature and severity of the disease. An example of calculating the dose of azithromycin for a child. For example: a child is 2 years old, weighs 13 kg. Multiply the child's weight by the number of mg of azithromycin. 13 * 10 = 130 mg per day, in one dose. It turns out that we need to give the child 6.5 ml of azithromycin suspension (100 mg/5 ml).

Although azithromycin has good therapeutic effect However, based on my experience, I will say that I am skeptical about azithromycin. The reason for this attitude is the frequent side effects from the outside gastrointestinal tract in the form of bloating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Although these side effects disappear immediately after stopping the drug, for a small sick child this is already too much. This is my personal opinion, especially since there are more safe antibiotics broad-spectrum drugs such as penicillins and cephalosporins.

To avoid or reduce the side effects of azithromycin, it should be taken one hour before meals or two hours after meals.

Cephalosporins for children

Another group of antibiotics that can be taken by children is called cephalosporins. Among this group of antibacterial drugs, there are 5 generations, but children are allowed drugs of the first 3 generations, and some drugs of the 4th generation are allowed for health reasons. Cephalosporins can be taken by children from 6 months, they have bactericidal effect for bacterial infections of the ENT organs, upper and lower respiratory tract. The 3rd generation also has a pronounced antibacterial effect for infections of the genitourinary system. I dedicated a separate article to this group, in which I spoke in detail about all generations of cephalosporins for children. Cephalosporins for children| List of analogues, dosage calculation

Sincerely, Mikhail Alexandrovich Skalitsky