What to know if you can’t find amoxicillin

According to the Food and Drug Administration, shortages of various drugs across the country, including a common antibiotic, are expected to last several months.

“The most notable one is probably amoxicillin. This is a common antibiotic that we use to treat a variety of infections in children, including ear infections, sore throatand pneumonia,” said Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious disease physician at the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center.

She said that parents can notice this when they take kids to a healthcare provider, is being prescribed an antibiotic, and has difficulty keeping track of the medication at the pharmacy.

“Deficiency seems to particularly affect oral suspension formulations of these drugs,” she said. “This is especially difficult for parents of kids who can’t swallow a pill or tablet.”

Advice if you can’t find amoxicillin

Dr. Rajapakse offers advice for those experiencing this condition. It starts with some patience.

“If you’re in a situation where you’re prescribed amoxicillin and you can’t find one for your child, it’s important to talk to your pharmacist as well as your healthcare provider. medical service provider who prescribed the drug because there were other alternatives that could be used,” she said.

Doctors and pharmacists are now looking for second- or third-line antibiotics to help treat bacterial infections.

“Most health care provider should be familiar with those medications for the specific infection your child is being diagnosed with and possibly recommend another antibiotic to help treat them if you can’t find amoxicillin,” she says.

In addition, they may also suggest different strategies such as how to crush the tablets or open the capsules if those forms of amoxicillin are available but your child cannot swallow them.

Secondary infection

Dr. Rajapakse says it’s important to remember that colds, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 are both respiratory viruses that cannot be treated with antibiotics.

However, secondary bacterial infections, such as Ear infectionsBacterial pneumonia and sinus infections can occur after outbreaks of respiratory viral infections.

“This is why we advocate vaccination as the best way to prevent viral infections like COVID-19 and influenza. These vaccines not only prevent viral infections, but also reduce the possibility that you have complications or secondary infectionmay come after one of these viral infection“, said Dr. Rajapakse.