Amoxicillin overdose in children can be a serious matter given their tender age. Know about this subject in a detailed manner from this article, which also provides you an apercu on some common side effects of the medication.
Most of us are aware what amoxicillin is. But just to recap the information, it is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug, to treat a variety of bacterial infections and thus is categorized as an antibiotic. Amoxil, Moxatag, Trimox, and Wymox are the brand names with which this drug is sold. In some cases, amoxicillin could be the only treatment option to fight an infection, or it may also be required to be used in conjunction with other antibiotics.
How Bad is Amoxicillin Overdose for Children?
It is obvious to understand that, in order to know about the overdose, one must be aware of the proper dosage of the drug. And this has been presented in the following.
The antibiotic, as said, is used for a multiple of infections whose causal factor is bacteria. Some of the most common infections, whose treatment involves the use of this drug are:
- Infections of the ear
- Sinusitis (infection caused to one of the paranasal sinuses)
- Strep throat
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Infection of the lungs such as pneumonia
- For sexually transmitted disease such as gonorrhea
Now the reason I briefed you on the uses of amoxicillin for various infections is that, the infection that is being treated is one of the important factors that determine the dosage for an individual. And not only this, the patient’s age and weight are also some of the factors that are considered while deciding the dose.
If the patient is already suffering from some other medical conditions, or if he/she is on some other medications, even then, the dosages might vary. Thus, amoxicillin dosage for children or adults has not been ‘standardized’ for all situations. So, it is really important for one to understand that self-medication of this drug could invite trouble. Taking all the above factors into consideration, the patient’s health care provider decides what is the right dosage for him/her.
Since there is no standard dosage for this antibiotic, people tend to miscalculate the amount that is required in their particular case, and overdose may be an outcome. A mild overdose does not cause any long-lasting problem, but a severe one can impair or severely damage the kidneys. But the good news is, instances of overdose of amoxicillin are rare, because the drug is non-toxic in nature
However, according to experts, the overdose tends to aggravate or intensify the side effects that the drug is already causing in the body. These side effects may include:
- Allergic reactions: characterized by hives, skin rash, itching in various areas including the genital areas of the body, skin reddening, swelling (especially in the areas of the mouth), and even wheezing
- Diarrhea: could be watery or bloody
- Jaundice
- Yeast infection
- Increased anxiety
- Agitation
- Cloudy urine
- Seizures
- Swelling of legs
- Bleeding gums
- Chills
- Dizziness
- More thirsty than usual
- Poor feeding
- Muscles getting stiff
- Vomiting blood
Now among all these side effects, those that occur from allergic reaction are known to be common, and the rest are rare.
Besides worsening the side effects, overdose of the drug may also have a few symptoms of its own. The common ones include:
- Diarrhea
- Rash in the skin
- Unusual or abnormal sleepiness
- Swelling of the legs
- Sensation of pain while urinating
- Decreased visits to restroom for urination
- Presence of blood in the urine
- Pain in the abdominal region
- Confusion, changes in behavior, black-out or convulsions.
Amoxicillin overdose in children may easily be prevented by avoiding self-medication or deciding on the dosage without having consulted a health care provider. Also, if the patient has a kidney disease or is allergic to penicillin or to any other substances such as foods or preservatives, then it must be informed to the doctor or caregiver before administering the antibiotic.
