Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Sulfa (not sulfer) drugs are powerful antibiotics that are used
    to treat a lot of infections, from kidney infections to bronchitis
    and God only knows what else.  1.5 teaspoons every 12 hours doesn't
    sound like a big dosage.  
    
    The biggest reaction I would be watching for would be diarrahea and
    a yeast infection.  When antibiotics clear out the "bad" bacteria,
    they also clear out the "good" bacteria along with it.  This makes
    people, children as well as adults, more susceptible to secondary
    yeast infections.  My kid has never suffered from it, but there are
    a lot of notes in Parenting_v2 about children who have gotten diarrahea
    while on a course of antibiotics.  
    
    Good luck....I hope this responds to treatment soon!

    Just beware that a lot of people do develop allergic reactions to
    sulfa drugs ... look out for an unexplainable rash.  Sulfa drugs
    were the only available antibiotics available before the penicillin
    families.  As new strains of bacteria become antibiotic resistant,
    threre has been a return to the use of sulfa drugs.
    
    Stuart

    Alex had it too, at about that age or maybe younger (there was no
    comment from our pedi about it generally being for ages 6 & up!).  She
    was given it as a substitution for amoxycillin--I'm allergic to
    penicillin, so I was on the lookout for a reaction in Alex.  The amoxy
    came back up IMMEDIATELY, every time I tried to give her a dose, so
    that was enough for me to insist on a non-penicillin drug.  (The pedi
    maintains that vomiting is not a classic allergic reaction, but
    whatever you want to call it, Alex had the same reaction each of the
    times I allowed myself to be convinced to try 'cillin again.)
    
    The dose you describe sounds like what Alex had, and we were cautioned
    to administer it for the entire prescribed duration.  It came in a dark
    glass bottle, and it had to be refrigerated.
    
    I got Alex to take it (she didn't think much of taking medicine by the
    time we got the Septra bottle) by giving a Coca-Cola "chaser".
    
    Leslie

    Re Amoxil vomiting
    
    Technically there is a difference between an allergic reaction
    and an intolerance.  Allergic reactions are characterised by the
    production of histamines, which will cause rashes or swellings.
    For many, the reaction is typically on the skin, but for an
    unfortunate few, the reaction is internal, like a swelling of the
    throat walls casuing suffocation.
    
    An intolerance, on the other hand is just that, an inability of
    the stomach or intestines to cope with the substance and will
    cause reactions that vary from indigestion and stomach ache to
    vomiting.  This is precisely what makes syrup of ipecac work.
    
    I get terrible indigestion with Penicillin V or VK, yet I have no
    problem with Amoxil, or most other of the antibiotics I've tried.
    
    So, the pedi is right ... vomiting is not a classic allergic reaction
    but on the other hand she still cannot take it!  You may well find she
    will be able to take it later.
    
    Stuart

    Thanks, Stuart, I feel "validated"!  Glad to hear there is some
    corroboration of what I so clearly witnessed in Alex.  It seemed the
    amox. hardly had time to hit bottom and turn around before it came back
    up--her system was definitely saying "don't even THINK of giving me
    that stuff."
    
    I suspect, too, that her intolerance will lessen with age, because my
    penicillin reaction (hives, at age 5 or 6) seems to have abated.  I was
    given "Pen V K" when I was in my mid-twenties, by a doctor who didn't 
    read the history I'd just given his nurse; no reaction after a week,
    when I finally realized (DUH!) what the "Pen" meant.
    
    Leslie

    re .5
    
    There is no relation between the mechanism that produces the
    intolerance and the allergic reaction ... so just because your
    allergic reaction disappeared is no reason to extrapolate that
    to the intolerance disappearing.  However, just like you can
    grow out of a milk intolerance, your child may grow out of an
    Amoxil intolerance as the digetive system matures.
    
    Sometimes, the intolerance or allergy associated with a medication
    isn't actually the medication itself, but rather with the fluid
    carrier (for liquids), the filler & binder (for pills), the colourant
    or the flavouring.  So you could get Amoxil from another maker and
    have no problem at all!
    
    Stuart

    
     Some kids can and do develop allergic reactions to sulfa drugs.  My
    daughter had many ear infections when she was 15-18 months old, and tried
    numerous medications.  She developed a reaction to one medication (don't
    remember the exact name, but it did contain sulfa) and had hives from head
    to toe.  They started as 2-3 small spots on her bottom one night (and I
    didn't think of them as the beginning of a reaction), and by morning she
    had welts all over her body.  SOme of the welds even turned to bruises. 
    (It looked like she had been beaten on her legs!)   Now, whenever we get
    medication, I double-check to make sure that the medication is not sulfa
    based (especially after the doctor said that a subsequent reaction often
    is worse than the first!).
    
     Bottom line:  sulfa drugs do work, but be cautious of reactions (guess
    that is really true with any medication).
    
     (Don't mean to scare you, but just wanted to warn you about the possible
      reactions.)
    
    
      John

    My son finally has been removed from the antibiotic-go-round from
    several ear infections.  Amoxycillin, Septra (sulfa), ceclore, back to
    amoxycillin.  He only had a reaction to the septra.  After three days
    of twice-a-day doses, he woke up with a head to toe rash.  Small,
    raised bumps which did not bother him in the least.  A call to the
    pharmacist revealed the skin reaction as one of the most common, and to
    take him off Septra immediately.  Bactrim and Septra are the most
    commonly-prescribed sulfa drugs for kids.

    Be careful, though. Last year Lauren developed a rash while on some
    antobiotic she had never taken before (I think it was Augmentin).
    Naturally, we were on vacation at the time (when she got the
    prescription, the car was outside all packed and with 2 bikes on top).
    So, 3 hour drive back from the cape... the doc looked at it, called in
    another doctor to look at it, and they called a third doctor.. the
    final decision was that it was a viral rash, unrelated to the
    medication (but gave us instructions as to what to look for anyway). 
    
    The problem with being labelled as allergic is that it sticks for
    life..
    
    ...tom

    Hi Larry!
    
    Christine has been on the sulfa drug twice because amoxycillin doesn't
    seem to solve her problems either.  When she's on the drug, she has a
    tendency to spit up, so we've had to switch from her regular formula or 
    milk(most recently) to soy-based formula.  She also has a decreased
    apppetite--she normally eats very well.  No other side effects.

    What is Ceclor?  Is that a sulfa drug?  My 14-month was just put on
    that after her ear infections became worse after 2 days on Amoxycillin.
    
    By the way, any advise on how to "force" a 14-month old to injest her
    dosage of medication when she adamently rejects taking it?  I mean, you
    can force it in their mouths, but can you make them swallow it? 
    
    Jacki
    

    Without my handy-dandy pocket drug guide in front of me, I'm not
    positive of the exact content but I'm pretty sure Ceclor has no sulpha
    in it.  The antibiotic I believe you're referring to is Bactrim, which
    is sulfa based and is frequently used for ear and Urinary infections.
    
    My question is why did the doctor take your 14 month old off
    Amoxycillin after just 2 days?  Did she develop a body rash or other
    side effect?
    
    As for getting it into an unwilling child, well I guess being more
    stubborn than her is the key.  Would she take it from either a syringe
    or eye dropper, the ones you purchase near the prescription section of
    the drugstore, how about mixing it with a little milk or juice?
    
    If you use the syringe or eyedropper method try squirting it between
    the teeth and cheek of her mouth, that way it should sort of "dribble"
    down her throat.  Try giving it to her very slowly, just a couple drops
    at a time til she gets it all.  I guess what I'm saying is not to rush
    this, she'll get more medicine this way.  Better IN her than ON her!
    
    Lyn

    Ceclor is just another medication used for ear infections. My son had a
    bout of Ceclor this past winter.

    As for getting him to take the medicine? I just put it in a 4 oz bottle
    with his formula if he didn't take it by means of a syringe (dropper).

    Good luck!

    re .12:
    
    She has a great deal of congestion in her throat (which is why I
    originally took her to the pedi and first discovered the ear infections
    last Tuesday... God was it only last Tuesday?).  I noticed this morning
    that her throat congestion and general temperament was much worse and
    decided to get her back in to the doctor this morning.  (And I have had
    a terrible time getting the medicine in her this time... she wants
    nothing in her mouth - no bottles, no medicine, nothing!)
    
    Anyway, they discovered that her ear infections were worse than they
    were two days ago, and switched her to Ceclor which they said was:
    1) stronger  2) better tasting... maybe would be easier to get in her
    and  3) only 2 daily dosages needed rather than 3.
    
    The doc said NOT TO PUT THE MEDICINE IN HER BOTTLE.  I was very
    surprised at this, but as she doesn't want to drink anyway, I did not
    question it.
    
    Thanks for the help,
    Jacki
    

    We used to bribe Kathy with M & M's.  Take your medicine without
    fussing and you can have some of these to take the taste out of
    your mouth . . .
    
    --bonnie

    How about putting the medicine in just a nipple, with a ring attached?
    Just to let her suck at it.  For us the best method, also the method
    the hospital uses is a regular syringe. (5cc's = 1 teaspoon)
    
    I had a tiny, I mean extremely small bottle that was made for medicine. 
    I can't remember who made it, it's the brand with the blue and white 
    checked background, in the blister packs.  Mine may have come from
    Raschelle's,  It may have held all of a teaspoon or two and was sold as
    a medicine dispenser.  I still (and he's 4.5years) swear by the syringe
    method, it's more accurate, and you're assured that you're getting
    every bit of medicine in.  Ask your pharmacist if he'll give you a 5cc
    syringe with the medicine.
    
    And yes, Ceclor is more pleasant.  Sort of funny how out of all the
    medicine this kid has had to take, he's never objected to ceclor.
    
    Lyn
    
    

         My son had to have Ceclor for fluid in his ears (had not become 
    inflamed yet, but the fluid had not gone away)  To me, the stuff
    smelled like it would taste REALLY good.  We tried using the syringe
    and that didn't work really good.  He just didn't seem to like it. 
    THen we tried mixing it with his bottle and he usually threw up when we
    did that.  Finally, we ended up mixing it with about a � oz. of water
    in a 4 oz. bottle and gave it to him that way.  Worked out just fine.
    Cleared up the fluid in no time too.
    
    
                             ---Sue

    
    	Matthew's been on the sulfa based antibiodic for almost 8 days
    	now.  He's never had a reaction to any antibiodic, except for
    	the diarrehia.  He has to have this antibiodic because he gets
    	bad cases of bronchitis every time he catches a cold.  
    
    	My question is though, it says drink plenty of water with
    	medication, and don't expose to long periods of sun.  How do
    	I get a 13 month old to drink plenty of water...he has a lot of
    	juices...but water...and does anyone know why?  Secondly...what
    	happens if they have to much exposure to the sun?  We were at
    	the lake last weekend...and didn't know what we should be looking
    	for?
    
    	Ellen

The reason to drink lots of water (but I think other liquid is fine also) is 
that medicine of this type that is not absorbed by the body is collected in the
kidneys.  It is important to take plenty of liquids to help cleanse the kidneys
of the excess or (eventually, after much medication), kidney damage can
result.

ccb

    When Cassidy was taking the sulfa medication I asked her doctor about
    her having to drink a lot of water.  He was not very concerned about
    it.  What I would do is make sure that Cassidy had lots of watered down
    juice during the day - she will not drink water in any great
    quantities on its own.
    
    Ginny

    My pedi was also not concerned about the fluid intake.  He said between
    the formula/milk and juice and whatnot, Russell would be well hydrated. 
    Since the last time the baby was on this stuff, we were on vacation I
    was worried about exposing him to the sun. Pedi recommended a high SPF
    lotion, hat and tee shirt.  
    
    Hope this helps,
    
    marianne

re .11, .15

My daugher was 22 months when she first had to take it.  We bribed her
with a lollipop.  One sip of medicine, one lick of the pop.  

Mary    

    Re: Ceclor
    
    Celcor is a "cephilasporin" (spelling probably incorrect), one of
    a family of antibiotics completely different from the penicillin
    family (amoxicillin, etc.) or sulfa drugs.  Keflex is another
    popular member of this family of drugs.  It is effective against
    infections close to skin boundaries, though not as powerful as
    some.  Some advantages of Ceclor and kin are that they are widely
    tolerated (little chance of upset digestion), rarely cause allergic
    reactions and are very effective against certain kinds of
    infections.  The principal drawback is cost.
    
    				Steve

    By the way, I always make it a point to ask the pharmacist for the
    manufacturer's brochure when receiving an unfamiliar drug.  They
    are required by law to make them available to you.  Often you'll
    find precautions and interactions in the brochure that your doctor
    or pharmacist didn't think to warn you about.
    
    An alternative is to buy an up-to-date copy of the Physician's
    Desk Reference, but the brochures are no additional cost.
    
    					Steve

    My pharmacist told me that 1 in 11 kids who are allergic to penicillin
    will be allergic to CECLOR (sp).  I was alittle worried when Russell
    had it since he is allergic to penicillin.  The Dr. had put him on the
    CECLOR to try to prevent an ear infection.  He didn't have a reaction,
    but I was a nervous wreck for 10 days.
    
    marianne