Health Tip: Use Antibiotics Wisely

(HealthDay News) -- Your child must take an antibiotic according to a doctor's prescription or label instructions, to make sure the medicine works properly and doesn't foster drug-resistant bacteria.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these tips for parents:

  • Make sure your child takes the entire course of medication exactly as prescribed.

  • Give your child an antibiotic prescribed just for him or her; never share an antibiotic prescribed for someone else.

  • Schedule any follow-up appointment recommended by your pediatrician after the antibiotic is finished -- for example, an ear exam after an ear infection.

  • Be sure to call the pediatrician if your child has finished an antibiotic and still isn't feeling well.

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