Antibiotics for influenza in children

According to a survey conducted by sociologists, more than 40% of Russians are absolutely sure that the flu and SARS can be cured with antibiotics. This is nothing more than a common misconception. Antibiotics for influenza and ARVI, both in children and adults, are completely useless medicine, moreover, very harmful.

Diseases such as influenza and ARVI are caused by viruses that have entered the body, and antibiotics are powerless against most viruses. Their spectrum of action is bacteria, fungi and conditionally pathogenic flora.

But the whole set of side effects accompanying the course of antibiotic treatment (dysbiosis, thrush, weakened immunity, anemia) is provided to the child. Do you need extra ailments?

Influenza and SARS should be treated exclusively with specially designed antiviral agents. To them, at the discretion of doctors, they can prescribe expectorant drugs, antitussive drugs and immunomodulators. However, each of us has at least once come across the fact that the invited doctor, after establishing the diagnosis of the child with "Influenza", prescribes antibiotic therapy for the child. What does it mean?

This in no way speaks of the incompetence of the doctor. It's just that, most likely, a bacterial infection has joined the viral infection, but it already requires the use of antibiotics.

Another reason why a doctor can prescribe antibiotics to children with influenza is an elementary "reinsurance". Suppose the doctor did everything right and prescribed an antiviral agent to the sick person. And after a few days, babies develop pneumonia, or worse, meningitis. Parents will certainly blame the doctor for careless treatment. Therefore, it is easier for the doctor to immediately prescribe antibiotics, thereby "protecting" himself.

It is no secret that viruses quite often cause various complications, and a rare flu proceeds without concomitant bacterial infections. Besides, the main ability of any virus is a sharp decrease in human immunity, and most pathogenic bacteria simply cannot but take advantage of the situation. The body of a patient with a viral infection is a very fertile ground for the life of bacteria. To stop their activity, the doctor prescribes antibiotics. In this case, the viral infection itself will have to be treated with other drugs.

What complications caused by the flu are treated with antibiotics:

Pneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs is a very serious complication of a viral infection. It occurs quite often, and in 100% of cases it will require treatment with antibiotics of the penicillin, cephalosporin family or macrolide group.
Otitis. Inflammation of the middle ear with viral ailments is due to the anatomical features of the structure of the ear. A special secret that the cells of the organ produce must drain down the throat through the Eustachian tube, and it swells with flu or SARS and interferes with the secretion. As a result, bacteria begin to multiply right in the middle ear, in a warm and nourishing environment. Otitis media will also require antibiotic treatment in 100% of cases. Moreover, it can be drops with an antibacterial composition, and pills, and even injections (in severe cases).
Pyelonephritis. Inflammation of the kidneys begins due to the already indicated ability of viruses to reduce immunity. You may not immediately pay attention to this dangerous disease, because with the flu, the temperature is usually already increased, and aching and pulling pains in the lower back can be easily mistaken for muscle pain in a viral infection. Treatment of kidney complications will require mandatory antibiotic therapy. Moreover, it will be adequate to the degree of organ damage.

Bronchitis. With a viral infection, inflammation of the upper bronchi (the so-called open bronchitis) develops in every second sick child. The process is rapid, and antibiotics in combination with mucolytic drugs will also be required to treat this complication.
Sinusitis. The mucous membrane of the maxillary sinuses is very similar in structure to the membrane of the larynx, and with ARVI, as with acute respiratory infections, it is one of the first to be affected. The sinusitis that appears with the flu usually proceeds in an acute form, and does not turn into a chronic one. But his treatment will require strong antibiotics.
Myocarditis. Many of the known viruses can cause inflammation of the heart muscle, but most often a serious complication develops with the influenza virus of the A and B strains. Moreover, viruses do not cause bacterial infection, they themselves affect the heart muscle. Antibiotics for viral myocarditis are prescribed at the discretion of the doctor, depending on the form and severity of the complication. The main treatment, as you probably guessed by now, will be antiviral.
Meningitis. This is the most dangerous complication of influenza and SARS. The lining of the brain or spinal cord is attacked by bacteria, which actively reproduce and multiply in an organism weakened by a virus, if not properly treated for a form of flu. Typically, getting sick with influenza will be called viral (serous) meningitis. It is more common than bacterial. And it is treated somewhat easier. However, meningitis cannot be defeated without antibiotics.

Complications of influenza can occur in a child in other forms: lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes), purulent tonsillitis.

Complications with influenza and ARVI do not always begin simultaneously with the course of a viral disease. Often, they can manifest themselves 7 or even 10 days after the end of antiviral treatment. If the doctor has concerns about the possible development of dangerous complications in the child, he will prescribe antibiotics without waiting for the visible symptoms of the complication. Many scientists consider this approach obsolete and impractical. Moreover, clinical trials have shown that taking antibiotics for influenza only increases the likelihood of complications.

How does this happen? It's very simple: an antibiotic destroys flora, including beneficial ones, and pathogens feel very comfortable on "scorched" soil. We even managed to measure and calculate this dependence - the probability of getting complications is almost 20% higher in those who, with the flu or ARVI, still decided to take antibacterial drugs.

The doctor will be obliged to prescribe antibiotics for perfectly healthy children, but only if if there is a patient in their house, for example, meningitis. This will be done for prevention. And it will be justified.

Complications of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections are dangerous primarily for children and the elderly. Elderly people and children who have not yet turned 3 years old are harder to tolerate both the viral infection itself and its consequences.

When can antibiotics be taken?

As we have already found out, it makes no sense to take antibacterial drugs from the first day of a viral illness. But for 5-6 days after the onset of the disease, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Why so late? The thing is that in the absence of improvements in the child's condition, it is after the fifth day of the illness that we can talk about the likely development of bacterial complications.

It is imperative to inform the doctor not only about the absence of improvements, but also about the deterioration of the condition if new symptoms appear against the background of an increased body temperature.

The main thing is to distinguish a bacterial cold from its viral counterpart. Here everything is more or less simple: the disease caused by viruses begins abruptly and develops rapidly. With a bacterial (this is essentially an acute respiratory disease), symptoms can appear gradually - today a runny nose, tomorrow a throat, and so on. Besides, viral infections are accompanied by high fever.

For bacterial colds, antibiotics are desirable. In this case, the doctor will prescribe a "child" (optimal for children) drug: "Ampicillin", "Flemoxin Solutab", "Esparoxy", "Augmentin" and some others.

The list of names of antibiotics that can be prescribed by a doctor to combat complications of the flu is long.

Let's take a look at some of them:

"Tikarcillin". It is a broad spectrum antibiotic. It is widely used in the treatment of complications of viral infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, sinusitis. The drug is contraindicated in premature babies with impaired renal function. All the rest "Tikarcillin" is prescribed strictly individually, the dosage is calculated based on the weight and age of the child. Due to a rather impressive list of side effects, they try not to prescribe this drug to children under 3 months.

Cefadroxil. Antibiotic of the first generation cephalosporin group. It can be prescribed for the treatment of diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, kidneys, as well as if complications of the flu manifest in the form of conjunctivitis. The drug is prescribed for children weighing more than 40 kg in an average dose of 1-2 grams per day in 2 divided doses. Children weighing less than 40 kilograms are recommended to use Cefadroxil in a suspension of 30-50 mg per 1 kilogram of the child's weight per day.

"Azithromycin". The antibiotic is azalide. It is prescribed for the treatment of complications of influenza and SARS in children, such as tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis. Children weighing more than 10 kg: on the first day of admission - 10 mg per 1 kilogram of weight, from the second day and on the next 4 days - 5 mg per kilogram of the child's weight. The drug has a fairly convenient form of release - it can be bought in tablets (for children from 6 years old), capsules (for teenagers) or in syrup (for babies).

Josamycin. A prominent representative of the macrolide group. Available in tablets and suspensions. Suitable for the treatment of otitis media, sinusitis, acute bronchitis, pneumonia. For children under 14 years of age, the dose is 30 to 50 mg per kilogram of the child's body weight. The resulting amount is divided into three equal shares, the reception of "Josamycin" should be carried out three times a day. The average dose for adolescents over 14 years old is 1 gram per day, also in three doses.

"Esparoxy". This macrolide antibiotic is widely used in pediatrics in the treatment of such bacterial complications of influenza as pneumonia, acute bronchitis, and otitis media. For children under 12 years of age, the dosage should be determined by a doctor. In no case should you try to do it yourself. For adolescents over 12, the dose is equal to an adult - 150 mg. twice a day.

"Ampicillin". This semi-synthetic representative of the penicillin series has shown itself to be effective in the treatment of sinusitis, otitis media, bronchitis, pneumonia, meningitis. It is produced in the form of tablets, granules for self-preparation of suspension, dry substance for injection. Children who weigh less than 20 kilograms are prescribed a maximum of 25 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. If the child weighs more than 20 kilograms, the dosage of "Ampicillin" will grow to 50-100 mg for each kilogram of the child's weight. When treating meningitis in low birth weight infants (weighing less than two kilograms at birth), the drug is administered intravenously at 25 mg per kg of body weight every 12 hours.

Flemoxin Solutab. A broad-spectrum antibiotic of the penicillin series. This antibiotic can rightfully be called one of the favorite among pediatricians. The fact is that the formula of the drug allows it to quickly and effectively cope with most of the complications that a child has after or during the flu. Especially often "Flemoxin" is prescribed for bronchitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis. For children under 1 year old, the daily dose is 40-60 mg per kilogram of the child's body weight. This amount is divided into 2-3 doses. Children from one to three years old can take 375 mg twice a day or 250 mg three times a day. Children over 10 years old - 375-500 mg three times a day. Moreover, the more severe the complication, the more antibiotic doses are welcomed. That is, with otitis media of moderate severity, it is enough to take the medicine twice a day, and with purulent otitis media, you need to divide the daily dose into three approaches.

Augmentin. An effective antibiotic of the penicillin family. "Augmentin" perfectly copes with bronchitis, bronchopneumonia, pyelonephritis. The drug is available in the form of powder for suspension, tablets and dry mix for injection. Children from 0 to 2 months can be given an antibiotic only in a hospital, under the supervision of a doctor. For children under 2 years old, the doctor calculates the dosage himself, for children from 2 to 6 years old, the drug will be prescribed in an average dose of 5 ml, and for children aged 7-12 years, the dose will be increased to 10 ml. In case of severe complications, the doctor can double the indicated numbers.

You can find out about how and in what cases antibiotics are required from the following video. Commented by the popular children's doctor Komarovsky.

By prescription

Until recently, antibiotics could be bought at any pharmacy, and people actively used these drugs, treated them with everything they could, and everything that was not allowed, for example, began to drink antibiotics for the flu and give them to their children.

Doctors and scientists sounded the alarm and came out with a proposal to the legislature to ban antibiotics on the free market. Now antibacterial drugs can only be bought with a doctor's prescription. Is it better? Time will show. In any case, caring parents were deprived of the opportunity to stuff the child with antibiotics for any sneeze.

What medications to take for flu or SARS?

Antiviral drugs containing interferon have proven to be the most effective in the treatment of influenza and ARVI. They make the cells of the body immune to the virus and also stimulate the immune system. But they have one big, in my opinion, minus - all antiviral agents perfectly resist viruses only on condition that they began to be taken in advance, i.e. before getting the flu. If you start taking such drugs at the same time as the symptoms of a viral disease, there will be little effect from the medicines.

Many children's doctors, including Dr. Komarovsky, popularly loved by the mothers of our country, believe that it is not necessary to fight the flu and ARVI as such with pills and injections at all, the child's body must learn to overcome the virus on its own. Only the complications of the flu, if any, need to be treated.

General rules of treatment for influenza:

Obligatory bed rest. It will allow you to avoid serious complications and will enable parents to notice in time if a complication has begun to develop.
The child must be sure to provide fresh air, do not forget to ventilate the room. Do not close all the windows and wrap up the baby, overheating with flu in children contributes to the development of complications.
Abundant drinking regime. The baby's body needs water to avoid the buildup of toxins. You can give tea, including herbal tea, a decoction of rose hips, chamomile, sage.
At a high temperature against the background of influenza or ARVI, the child should be given antipyretic drugs. Bacterial infections, which also occur with an increase in temperature, do not need an artificial reduction in fever. By the time the temperature is normalized, they look at the effectiveness of the antibiotic. When viral, the picture is reversed.

Pain medications can be given to the child for muscle pain.
If a bacterial infection nevertheless joined the viral infection, and the complication manifested itself in all its glory, during antibiotic treatment, do not forget about drugs that normalize the intestinal microflora "Linnex", "Bifidumbacterin", etc., in order to prevent the development of dysbiosis in the child ... The body of the crumbs, already considerably weakened first by viruses, and then by a bacterial infection, needs protection.
Never self-medicate.Both the diagnosis of "flu" and its possible complications must be confirmed by a doctor, otherwise, by experimenting on your baby with your own hands, you risk the wrong treatment to cripple his immune system, heart, brain, musculoskeletal system and respiratory organs.

In the next short video, children's doctor Komarovsky gives recommendations for treating the flu.