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EXAMPLE 2: Suppose a 4-year-old child has acute diarrhea,
with blood and mucus and high fever. She is not allergic to
penicillin. What antibiotic would you choose?
THE
PROBLEM
THE
CHOICES
THE
ANSWER
Why ampicillin and not tetracycline? (Ampicillin kills bacteria,
is not poisonous, and does not stain children’s teeth.)
Why not penicillin instead of ampicillin? (Penicillin does not ‘fit’ both cut-out
spaces; it does not attack this kind of infection adequately.)
EXAMPLE 3: Earache
THE
PROBLEM
Penicillin is
usually the
besl choice
for an adult
with earache.
Why?
• It Kills the
bacteria
• It is not
poisonous
• It is narrow
range.
• It is low
cost.
THE
ANSWER
THE
PROBLEM
In children less than 8
years old, ear infection
sometimes is caused
by different bacteria
that are not affected by
narrow-range antibiotics.
If the child is not allergic,
ampicillin is a good
choice. Why?
• It kills the bacteria.
• It is not poisonous.
• A broad-range antibiotic is
needed.
THE
CHOICES
THE
ANSWER
If the child is allergic to penicillin, what would you give him instead? Why?