Antibiotics have been around for many years and if your baby is 3 years or few months old then it is evident that you may get confronted with antibiotics 4 to 5 times in a year and may have fears and doubts about antibiotics. Moreover, many of you may have a habit of taking antibiotics on an old prescription. These habits are not good for your baby’s health. However, if antibiotics are used wisely, they can provide significant benefits. So, here I have put together 11 things that parents should know about giving antibiotics to their children.

1. Never Prescribe On Your Own.

Parents usually have a habit of self-prescribing antibiotics to their babies. This is a terrible habit and may prove harmful to the health of your baby. Always consult your doctor before taking any kind of antibiotics. Your doctor will decide what form of treatment is best suited for your baby and if prescribing an antibiotic is necessary, he will then select the one that will work best for treating your specific infection.

2. Always Complete The Medication.

Parents think that taking antibiotics for a longer period may cause some side effects to their baby. Because of this thing in their mind, they stop the medication when symptoms seem to go away. Stopping the medication may allow some of the bacteria to continue to live and become resistant to the antibiotic prescribed to your baby. This will make it more difficult to treat any subsequent infections he will acquire in the future.

3. Never Save Your Medication For Reuse.

If you think you can keep and reuse leftover antibiotics then you are totally wrong. Antibiotics should not be taken to treat any other illnesses. Do not merely take them when you feel sick. Moreover, the antibiotic that is in powder form gets expired within 7 days of their first use.

Also Read: How do Bacteria become Resistant to Antibiotics?

4. Prepare The Dosage Properly.

Mostly the antibiotics for infants are in the form of syrup powder, which is taken after mixing them with water. There is always a sign for measuring the volume of water to be mixed for preparing the syrup. Check this sign properly before purchasing the medicines and never exceed this level while making the syrup.

5. Ask Before Taking Antibiotics.

Some medicines come in the form of “sustained release”. Thus, you shouldn’t break or grind medicines before giving them. So, always ask your doctor before using them.

6. Always Give The Correct Dosage.

The correct dosage is a very important factor in antibiotic effectiveness. So, never measure the dosage using spoons (in the case of syrups) and remember the repetition time of the medication.

7. Discuss Drug Allergy Running In The Family.

If you, your baby, or any member of your family have any kind of drug allergy then discuss it with your doctor. The allergic reaction can produce rashes, itching, or difficulty in breathing in severe cases. Some of them can be fatal. Tell him if your baby is taking antibiotics or any medication over a very long period. It will help him in prescribing the most appropriate medication.

8. Store Them At Right Place.

Keep antibiotics away from your baby’s reach. Also, keep them away from direct sunlight and moisture. In hot weather, you can also store them in refrigerators.

9. Do Not Pressurize Him.

Many parents have a habit of pressurizing their doctor to write antibiotics in the prescription for their baby. This may be because they think that antibiotics can cure every disease. But, this is not true. Antibiotics work only against infections caused by bacteria. They do not work with viral infections, such as colds, flu, and most sore throats. Moreover, many of them don’t know that 80% of baby infections are viral which do not need antibiotics.

10. Ask Doctor About Dosage Time.

Some medicines are taken before meals and some are taken after meals. So, always ask your doctor each and every detail before leaving the clinic.

11. Sharing Is Not Good For Health.

Never share your medication with other such as eye/ear drops. Because by doing this, there is a possibility of transmission of infection or pathogenic particles, or antibiotic resistance.

So now, parents know what they need to do before giving antibiotics to their children. However, these things imply to adults also. 🙂. So that is all for now, meet you in my next article. Keep Reading, Keep Exploring, and Keep Sharing your Knowledge, and above all BE CURIOUS. 🙂

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