Prescription Antibiotics Should Not Be Shared: Medical Professionals' Advice
In a recent news conference at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pediatrician Wu Chang-teng stressed the importance of careful antibiotic administration in children, following a case of a two-year-old boy who suffered adverse reactions after being given an antibiotic and unused fever medicine for an Epstein-Barr virus infection by his grandparents.
Wu Chang-teng shared his personal experience, highlighting the symptoms the young boy experienced, including nausea, vomiting, low appetite, loss of energy, and rashes all over his body. He emphasized that antibiotics should only be prescribed by medical experts, as amoxicillin, the antibiotic given to the boy, is ineffective against viral infections.
Liu Chiya-ping, an FDA Drug Products Section specialist, echoed Wu's sentiments, advising against demanding antibiotics, buying over-the-counter antibiotics, using another person's prescription, or stopping treatment without a doctor's instruction. Incidents have occurred where parents gave sick children leftover prescription antibiotics in rough eyeballed dosages, resulting in disasters.
To ensure the proper administration of antibiotics, it's crucial to follow prescribed doses, monitor the child's response, and use correct formulations. For example, for azithromycin, the dose for children aged 6 months and older is 10 mg/kg/dose once daily, up to a maximum of 500 mg. Clindamycin and gentamicin have their own specific dosing guidelines, which should be followed carefully.
Overdosing can lead to gastrointestinal symptoms, hearing loss, and seizures, while underdosing can result in treatment failure and the development of antibiotic resistance. Withdrawing antibiotics too early can lead to a return of symptoms or worsening of the condition, and both overdosing and underdosing can contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
To prevent such issues, regular monitoring is key. Keep track of the child's response to the antibiotic and report any adverse effects to the healthcare provider. Using a medication calendar can help ensure that doses are not missed or duplicated.
When in doubt, always consult a healthcare professional for any concerns or questions regarding antibiotic administration in children. The use of antibiotics and other medicines on children should be done with caution and under the guidance of a healthcare professional. The FDA, along with pediatricians like Wu Chang-teng, urge parents to be aware of the risks associated with misusing medicines on children and to seek professional advice when necessary.
- Science is vital in understanding the proper use of antibiotics in children's health-and-wellness, as chronic diseases and mental-health conditions can be affected by the misuse of these drugs.
- In light of the case of the two-year-old boy who suffered adverse reactions from an antibiotic and unused fever medicine, it's crucial to consider alternatives such as nutrition and fitness-and-exercise for managing medical-conditions like the Epstein-Barr virus infection.
- Mental-health therapy and stress management practices can complement traditional medicines like antibiotics, helping to prevent the development of chronic diseases and promoting overall health-and-wellness.
- Due to the potential risks associated with misusing medicines on children, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria and severe side-effects, parents should consider medicare-covered therapies-and-treatments for managing their child's medical-conditions.
- To address the growing concern over the misuse and over-prescription of antibiotics, some people are now turning to natural remedies like CBD oil for managing inflammation and pain, which may have fewer side-effects and contribute to better health outcomes.
