Medicines for Children: Dos and Do'n'ts

Administering medicines to your children may be worrying. Some parents think that giving medicines to their children may be dangerous. Some others think that other child's illness and medicines may be equal with what their child needs. In this article we will discuss about what the dos and don't's about giving medicines to your children.

Facts you need to know about Antibiotics (part 2): Considerations and Mechanisms

After we discuss some general facts about antibiotics, we will advance to the next facts about them before we discuss about each class of antibiotics.

Read this post first if you have not learned about antibiotics.


Fact # 4

What are the physician consider when giving antibiotic to his/her patient?

There are several factors to be considered.

Fluoroquinolones: Behind the Famous Broad Spectrum Antibiotic

Fluoroquinolone is one of antibiotic/antimicrobial class with the highest prescriptions rate worldwide. This antibiotic works as an inhibitor of gyrase enzyme, and/or topoisomerase II/IV. These enzymes are vital for bacterial DNA synthesis or replication process.

There are four generations of quinolones:

First generation: nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin. Usually used in urinary tract infection. This group was called old quinolones.
Second generation: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, and lomefloxacin. From this generation on, the next groups are called new quinolones/fluoroquinolones; due to their systemic effect.
Third generation: gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin, grepafloxacin, sparfloxacin
Fourth generation: moxifloxacin, trovafloxacin

Ciprofloxacin: How is the safety in Children?

Ciprofloxacin, just like other fluoroquinolones, is not recommended for infectious diseases children; due to concern of potential arthropathy and development disturbances risk. All ciprofloxacin labels worldwide list children and adolescent under age of 18 as contraindication of all fluoroquinolones. But how about the experiences?