You or Your Child Have Been Prescribed an Antibiotic
At CHOC Children’s, parents are an important part of a child’s care team. You should feel comfortable asking the following questions to your child’s provider.
Questions to ask your or your child’s doctor
- What infection is this antibiotic treating?
- How long will my child need to take this?
- What are the side effects of this antibiotic?
- Are there special directions I need to know about taking or giving this antibiotic to my child? For example, does it need to be taken with food? Is it safe to give this antibiotic with other medications or supplements?
- How will I know whether my infection is responding to the antibiotic?
Follow directions
It’s important to follow the directions of your physician or pharmacist.
- Do not skip doses
- Do not share medication with others
- Do not save medication for later
What you can do to help prevent infections
- Wash hands often for at least 15 seconds with soap and water
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow
- Stay home when sick
- Getting recommended vaccines, like the flu vaccine, for example
Facts about antibiotics
- Antibiotics are life-saving medicines and they need to be used properly
- Antibiotics only cure infections caused by bacteria, not viruses such as colds and flu, or runny noses, even if the mucus is thick, yellow, or green
- When antibiotics aren’t needed, they won’t help you, and reactions from antibiotics are the most common cause of a medication-related visit to the ED. Ask your doctor or pharmacists if you have any questions
