When a child is normal, he or she will be acquiring approximately three respiratory infections annually. Respiratory infections are mainly caused by two organisms – the virus and the bacteria. For a parent, it is important for them to find out if their children acquired a viral or a bacterial infection. This way, the parent would know what to do with the infection. We all know that viral infections normally go away in a matter of days, as soon as the body’s immune system kills all the viruses. On the other hand, bacterial infections can also be handled by the immune system, but some of them are very strong that the body needs some assistance. This is where antibiotics come into play. Antibiotics are developed to battle common bacterial infections which the body itself cannot fight. Nowadays, there are a lot of antibiotics that can be bought without prescription and as a parent, you should exercise care in administering these medicines to your child.

How Can I Use Antibiotics Properly?

Every parent has to know that antibiotics are very effective when used properly, but can have some undesirable effects when utilized without supervision from medical experts. Below are some tips on how to properly use antibiotics:

1. It is recommended that you let your child take all the antibiotics prescribed by his physician even if he is already feeling better. Finishing the entire prescription of antibiotics would give you the assurance that your child is not going to get the infection again from the same type of bacteria. You also have to take note that if you do not finish the medication and your child acquires the same infection, it will be very hard to treat.
2. Administer the antibiotics in the prescribed time the doctor has given. Avoid skipping doses and compensate by doubling on the next dose because the improper use of antibiotics would make the bacteria immune to the medication and they have the tendency to multiply which will make the treatment harder.
3. Avoid sharing a prescription even if it is for the same infection. You have to remember that a particular antibiotic is prescribed to a person based on their complete medical portfolio. You should also refrain from making your own diagnosis and buying antibiotics that are not prescribed by the doctor.
4. A doctor would sometimes change the antibiotic your child is using because of the effects it has on him. Make sure that you strictly follow the doctor’s orders and dispose of the leftover medicines. Saving it for future use would be unwise because it might greatly affect the health of your child.

What are the Effects of the Improper Use of Antibiotics?

We all know that if there is misuse of something, there will be adverse effects. Antibiotics should be taken as the doctors prescribed. Otherwise, the improper use of the drug could lead to bacteria resistance. When this happens, the antibiotic that you used to take for this kind of infection may no longer work, and it would be hard for you to treat the infection already.