Patient's question:
Hello:My daughter is 4 years old and has been coughing for nearly 2 months with phlegm. Blood tests showed a positive result for Mycoplasma, and an X-ray revealed inflammation in the trachea. The doctor prescribed erythromycin, but I want to ask how I should treat it. Is there a regimen of taking antibiotics for three days and then stopping for four days?
I hope you can reply as soon as possible
Thank you
Doctor's answer:
Hello:Medication Treatment: Erythromycin or tetracycline are both effective. However, excessive use of tetracycline in infants and children under the age of 8 can cause permanent yellow-brown discoloration of teeth, as well as more common enamel hypoplasia in both milk and permanent teeth. It may even temporarily hinder bone growth and affect liver and kidney function. Therefore, for the treatment of this condition, erythromycin is the first choice for children. The dosage is 20–40 mg/kg/day, taken orally in four divided doses, with a treatment duration of 2 weeks. This can improve clinical symptoms, reduce lung shadows, and shorten the course of the disease. For severe cases, erythromycin can be administered intravenously, with a dose of 20–30 mg/kg/day added to 5% glucose. The drug-to-sugar concentration ratio should be 1 mg:1 ml, and the infusion rate should be slow to avoid stimulating local blood vessels and causing phlebitis. Patients with significant gastrointestinal reactions to erythromycin may take digestive aids.