An Antibiotic (NAPSA)—Asthe song goes, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. But for today’s parents, convincing children to take a liquid antibiotic calls for more than just sugar. It often requires creative tactics such as bribing and coaxing children into taking the medicine, which may lead to feelings of frustration for parents and kids. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections such as ear infections, which are very common in young children. Every year, more than five million ear infec- tions are diagnosed and roughly 10 million antibiotic prescriptions are written. It is important to take the full course of prescriptions to effectively treat bacterial infections. An antibiotic cannot work properly if a child refuses to take it because it doesn’t taste good. Many parents know that the taste of medicine can be an important factor in their child’s willingness to take it. A recent Harris Interactive survey of mothers across the U.S. found that almost two-thirds have had a child refuse to take an antibiotic because of the taste. In addition, 49 percent offered a reward or bribe to convince their children to take an antibiotic while 47 percent needed the help of a second adult to administer the antibiotic. Because of the difficulty in convincing children to take antibi- otics, effectiveness is not the only quality that moms look for in a liquid antibiotic. According to the survey, moms consider length of treatment (65 percent), taste (61 percent) and convenience (32 percent) as other important factors in choosing an antibiotic for their children. Aroundthe cold and flu season, it is especially important for par- ents to stay up-to-date on treatment options for their children. If your child has been diagnosed with a bacterial infection, talk to your doctor about choosing the most effective antibiotic, particularly one with a good taste and convenient dosing options. Some also offer a higher dose level (250mg/5mL), which allows for less medication for parents to administer to a child. For more information on children’s health and antibiotics, visit www.omnicef.com.
