Thanks to medicines related to the category of antibiotics, people manage to defeat infectious ailments. However, such drugs can not be used by everyone. In some, they provoke negative reactions that require therapy. The article talks about what to do if a child is allergic to antibiotics.
Why is there hypersensitivity to drugs?
Individual drug intolerance is a common pathology. Why is it developing? Factors contributing to the occurrence of allergies include:
- Bad heredity.
- Negative reactions of the body to other environmental influences (food, dust, animal fur, plant pollen).
- Concomitant pathologies (Epstein-Barr virus, tumors of the lymphatic system).
In minor patients, this ailment is a common type of individual intolerance. Often parents are faced with a situation where the child is allergic to antibiotics. The range of such medicines is periodically expanding, and the pharmacy often offers to purchase a new drug to treat babies from infections. The use of previously unknown means leads to the appearance of negative reactions. In addition, the instructions for use of the tablets often indicate side effects.
Signs and features of the disease
One of the main types of pathology in both adults and minors is urticaria. With this reaction, the appearance of white or red nodules on the surface of the skin is observed. Pimples quickly disappear, but new rashes soon form in their place. This manifestation is due to the influence of a medication that provokes intolerance, and increased production of a histamine compound. If a child is allergic to antibiotics against the background of long-term use of drugs or hypersensitivity to them, specialists will cancel dangerous pills.
What symptoms indicate the development of pathology?
Signs of individual intolerance lead to changes in the appearance of the skin. If a child is allergic to an antibiotic, it may have the following features:
- Symmetrically located nodules of a red shade. Sometimes they merge with each other and form large spots. Such a rash resembles skin manifestations of measles. As a rule, such a reaction disappears without the need to cancel the medication and the use of drugs with an antihistamine effect.
- The appearance of large acne, having a red tint. In this case, experts recommend refusing to take the medicine.
- Contact skin inflammatory lesion. This pathology develops slowly. Its symptoms appear only a few days after the start of antibiotic therapy.
- Anaphylactic shock. This reaction is the most difficult. Sometimes it develops within a few minutes after taking the medicine. Pathology is accompanied by swelling of the throat, impaired myocardial function, rashes, decreased blood pressure, itching and high fever.
- Serum syndrome. It occurs within one to three weeks after the start of therapy. It manifests itself as an increase in temperature, discomfort in the joints, a rash, an increase in the volume of the lymph glands.
- Drug fever. It occurs against the background of the use of the drug and persists for several days after cancellation. It is characterized by a sudden increase in temperature. Acceleration of the heart rhythm, as with a typical fever, does not occur.
- Lyell's Syndrome. Pathology manifests itself in the form of the appearance of large blisters on the body, which, when opened, form extensive wounds. This disease is rare and is associated with concomitant infectious processes.
- Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. With this reaction, the patient has an increase in temperature, inflammation occurs on the skin and mucous membranes.
There are typical symptoms by which you can determine an allergy to an antibiotic in a child. The photo clearly shows how the rashes look.
Local reactions
These include:
- Red shade of the skin that occurs when in contact with the sun. The ailment is accompanied by itching, the formation of vesicles filled with fluid.
- Hives. It is characterized by the formation of nodes merging into large spots. Typically, the rash is located on the surface of the back, arms, peritoneum, and face. In rare cases, it covers the entire body.
How is an allergy to antibiotics in children besides changes in the appearance of the skin? Sometimes individual intolerance leads to the development of angioedema. This reaction is characterized by a red tint and swelling of certain areas of the body (face, genitals, larynx, eyes).
Pathology is accompanied by inflammation and a feeling of itching.
Often a child is allergic to antibiotics when prescribing strong medications, such as “Agumentin,” which is used for infections of the middle ear.
Diagnostic measures
When symptoms of individual intolerance of the child appear, it should be shown to a specialist. To determine the substance that provoked a negative reaction, the doctor makes allergy tests.
The analysis consists in placing an antibiotic on the skin and applying a small scratch to this area of the body. In some cases, it is also necessary to conduct a laboratory blood test. Based on the results of the diagnosis, the dependence of the symptoms on the previously used medication is determined.
Therapy
If an allergy to antibiotics occurs in children, treatment consists, first of all, in stopping the use of a dangerous drug. After discontinuation of the tablets, mild symptoms of individual intolerance go away on their own. In case of serious malaise, the doctor recommends medications with an antihistamine effect. In some cases, the child needs a blood purification procedure. What pills are used if the child is allergic to antibiotics? The most famous tools include:
- Lorano.
- "Loratadine."
- Centrin.
- Enterosorbents to remove harmful compounds from the body (Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated carbon).
- Drugs that have a calming effect (Novo-Passit, Barboval).
- Ointments to eliminate discomfort ("Fenistil", "Bepanten").
- Hormonal drugs (Lokoid, Prednisolonum). They are prescribed for severe types of pathology.
Famous Pediatrician Tips
Some experts argue that there is no such thing as an allergy to antibiotics in a child. Komarovsky believes that if earlier in a small patient a negative reaction of the body to a medicine was observed, it should be combined with antihistamines. In the case when the well-being of the therapy has worsened, do not explain the malaise with the ineffectiveness of the pills or side effects.
Most often, this is the body's reaction to toxins that are released during the death of infection pathogens.
A well-known pediatrician advises combating signs of individual intolerance with the help of such methods:
- Avoidance of contact of the affected area of the body with the external environment.
- Reducing the amount of sweat released (for this you should abandon too warm bedding and clothes).
- Drinking plenty of fluids and foods that enhance intestinal motility.
- Maintaining an optimal level of humidity (60%) and temperature (20 degrees) in the room where the patient is located.
- The inclusion in the regime of the day of walks, physical activity.
- Refusal of things made from synthetic fabrics, household chemicals, which can provoke intolerance.
- Regular cleaning of the floor, carpets, fluff, toys.
- Use filtered water for drinking.
Alternative methods of therapy
If a child is allergic to an antibiotic, what should be done to alleviate the condition? To eliminate discomfort, you can use the following tools:
- Egg shell mixture. Washed and dried raw materials are ground. A homogeneous mass should be obtained, into which 6 drops of lemon juice are added. The product is combined with water and consumed for a long period (up to 6 months).
- An ointment made from purified water, ethanol, Anestezin, white clay and zinc oxide. The ingredients are mixed and applied to the surface of the skin.
- A decoction made of mint in an amount of 10 grams and half a glass of hot water. The liquid is insisted for half an hour and consumed in the amount of 1 large spoon three times a day.
- Infusion of chamomile in boiling water. Broth is drunk in the same dosage as the above remedy.
- Celery medicine in the amount of two large spoons and cold water. The mixture must be infused for 2 hours. It is consumed in the amount of a third of a glass 3 times a day, 30 minutes before a meal.
- A decoction prepared from celandine in the amount of 1 large spoon and 400 ml of hot water. The medicine is drunk in the morning and evening hours. The recommended single dose is a quarter cup.
Other methods
With an allergy to an antibiotic in children, the symptoms of pathology can be alleviated with the following herbs:
- St. John's wort
- Rhizomes of dandelion.
- Centaury.
- Horsetail.
- Corn silk.
- Chamomile.
- Rosehip berries.
A decoction is prepared from these ingredients. Means that relieve symptoms of individual intolerance are also made from tricolor violets, a string of bittersweet nightshade.
conclusions
An allergic reaction is often found in small patients. It can be caused by an antibiotic. When symptoms of the disease appear, many parents use infusions and decoctions of herbs. Before using such methods, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Alternative methods should be in addition to the main therapy. Therefore, if a child is allergic to an antibiotic, rash, and other symptoms of a pathology, self-medication should not be taken.