Augmentin Side Effects

Go see a chiropractor for the ear infections. That will get her off the meds. The meds help but unless you get the ear to drain it will not go away. I have worked for a chiropractor for years and have watched many children get off the meds. I hope this helps.

G.

My children had the same side effects. I used Balmex for the diaper rash and Pedialyte (hope I spelled) this correctly to keep them hydrated. Keep an eye on the rashes though because sometime antibodies cause yeast infections and it is easy to confuse with a diaper rash but if you keep Keenedy well hydrated everything should be fine.
Happy Mothering:-)

I used to get ear infections as a baby. My Mom was not a believer in doctors and used warm castor oil. My infections never lasted more than a couple days. Castor Oil is a great healer on many levels..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castor_oil#Medicinal_use_of_...

Hi M.,

I am sorry to hear about Kennedy's ear infection. I am married to a Pharmacist and he says augmentin is the second worst tasting of all of the antibiotics. It is very strong also.

My son (and daughter) have both been on augmentin before and unfortunately it does cause diarrhea. Most of the antibiotics do. My daughter got a really bad yeast diaper infection while she was on it and it came on really fast. I decided then that if she ever had to go on an antibiotic again that I was going to start treating the rash before it ever got to her. Nip it in the bud beforehand so to speak.

I would suggest that you ask your Pediatrician to call in some Nystatin Ointment for you. (They have a cream also but the ointment did much better for our daughter.) Your Pediatrician should have no problem calling that in for you. They know what that augmentin is capable of. I would coat her really well with that and then on top of that put a good layer of Bodaureax's Butt Paste at every diaper change. That butt paste is awesome for diaper rashes! It is OTC. The nystatin is in case she gets a yeast rash and she probably will. The butt paste for good extra protection.

Other than that, I would try to give her as much water and/or juice as she will drink. That and of course breast milk or formula.

I really am sorry for her and for you because I have been there, done that. Not a fun thing to go through at all. Just keep in mind as she and you are going through this, that it is only temporary.

Best wishes and I will include you both in my prayers.

T.

I recommend CranioSacral therapy. It helped end my daughter's ear infections. Actually it was cranial osteopathy, but that was when we lived in Oklahoma and I don't think there are any doctors that practice it here. CranioSacral Therapy is very similar.

The Cold Sock Treatment also works to end a current ear infection. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to read about it http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/ear.html

M.,

One alternative to antibiotics that often do more harm than good in children is to have your baby seen by a chiropractor that is good with infants. I am such a doctor and I have had amazing success with treating ear infections in infants. Typically the 1st vertebrae is out of alignment or subluxated and this can affect the ear canal which doesn't allow it to drain properly making a perfect environment for infections to occur. The other thing with antibiotics is that they are for bacteria and many of the ear infections we see are caused by viruses. If your child has been on antibiotics for a while now with no benefit, than it is probably due to a virus. The other things that I talk to my patients about is the baby's diet. Dairy and sugary foods are good ways to keep ear infections around. Formula is mostly dairy and sugar. If you are not breast feeding at this point then it would be wise to look into some better food choices than formula. Finally, with the use of antibiotics the natural bacteria in the intestines that we need to properly digest food gets killed off. Antibiotics do not discriminate between healthy bacteria and invasive harmful bacteria. So, the bacteria that we all require for healthy digestion and a healthy immune system die. I hope this is helpful please feel free to ask me any questions.

Dr. C.

My son has has 4 infections in a 2mo period. Augmention is the 4th antibiotic now. Thankfully we havent had any diaper rash! (when we did b4 our ped called in a script for a cream, several places make this, Walgreens, Reasors, and a few others. Very inexpensive and works wonders.) The side effects I have noticed with my son is that he seems very angry. On a day to day basis my lil one is very good. He never cries, or seems upset. Even when sick he still has a smile. For the last 3 days all he has done is scream at the top of his lungs and act very violent. @ 9mo old this does not seem right to me. Has anyone else noticed these changes? When I called the Dr all they would say is not to take him off the meds, it will ride out "if thats whats causing it". HELP

.

Yes, it's common to have diarrhea with any antibiotics especially Augmentin. I would give her some YoBaby yogurt so that the Augmentin doesn't deplete the "good" bacteria from her stomach. Keep some diaper rash ointment/cream and some powders on her bottom and look for signs of a yeast infection because strong antibiotics are notorious for causing these. Keep some pediasure on hand. Make sure she gets lots of water. If she's running a fever with the infection that can cause dehydration too as fevers cause your body to use up the fluids you take in so just make sure she's getting extra. I asked my doctor to stop giving my child oral antibiotics for ear infections because of all the diarrhea and side effects. They wrote a prescription out for antibiotic ear drops and they worked pretty good. The drops don't come with all the side effects that the oral antibiotics come with. And the medicine is going straight to the source of the infection. Hope she feels better real soon.

My daughter did the same thing around the same age. All the advise you have received on preventing diaper rash and helping her stomach is great, but I would go one step further. I suggest you take her to see an ENT doctor (ears, nose and throat). My daughter had fluid building in her ears and needed tubes. My pediatrician did not tell me about the fluid. It was a good thing that I knew a great ENT and took her myself. When he told me about the fluid and that she could have started losing her hearing I was so surprised. I went back to her ped and was told that she didn't tell me because she wanted to give the medications time to work. After 2+ months, the medication had time to work. After her getting the tubes, the infection was gone within days. She was back to her playful self, since she was no longer on such heavy meds. She has not had any problems with her ears since either. For me, my daughter getting off the meds, being better, and her comfort was worth me making the extra effort to see a specialist.

Just a little food for thought. I hope your daughter gets better soon. I know it is tough when little ones are sick.

Sincerely,
D. W

very common just make sure she has plenty of fluids good luck

my 3 year old son a few months back had an ear infection and was tried on other antibiotics and than they put him on augmentin and it worked so much better. He had diarerra for about a week, I just had to make sure he had lots of fluid and I put vaseline on his bottom every changing and that kept it from getting chapped too bad. Don't put desitin or anything like that on it bc all it did for him was irritate it more! Hope this helps! It will stop and get better!

My son has had 8 ear infections since January and finally just had tubes put in his ears. Like you, we would go through SO many antibiotics at a constant rate. What I found is that Augmentin will cause serious upset bellies and I have to not only give him a bottle, but solids as well just to try to combat the side effects. He did in fact get a severe diaper rash from the antibiotics, but one thing that helped was giving him Yo Baby yogurt and using Boudreaux’s Butt Paste. I applied it so it was completely covered and could not see skin through the paste. I used Q-tips as fingers seemed to pull at his skin. This works WONDERS!!! The Yo Baby also seemed to help with the gas build up. I always fed it to him in the morning, or had his day care do it. It always seemed to help.

Good luck!

Hope your little girl feels better soon. I personally will not let my son take Augmentin again! I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but it happened, so here goes. He too had an ear infection and was given Augmentin. He had horrible diahrea which is a normal side effect. Of course that led to horrible diaper rash. We put desitin on everytime we changed him, but by day 2 of Augmentin, his skin was literally peeling off of his bottom. He would scream like we were killing him everytime he had a dirty diaper and even worse when we changed him. Took him back to the doctor and he told us he had a chemical burn from the augmentin working its way out. Gave us two different diaper rash creams that we alternated between at each diaper change. It took nearly 2 weeks for the burn to heal. LO was pitiful!

M.,

I am a Pharmacy Technician and a mother of 1 beautiful 7 month old. With most antibiotics runny bowel movements are extremely common. If it becomes worse or you are still concerned I woulc contact your pediatrician. They may recommend you giving your little girl yogurt so that she has probiotics (good bacteria in digestive system) placed back into her system. If the Augmentin does not clear up the ear infection, I would ask if there was a possibility that the infection is penicillin resistant.

Good Luck! If you have any other questions please email me: ____@____.com

M. B.
There is a drops that kills the pain until the ear gets better. I know it;s hard to see your baby suffer.It's called, Aurlgan. It's prescription but it works. Ask your Dr. to give her some until her ear gets well.

:Augmentin Side Effects: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Augmentin® (amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium); however, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If Augmentin side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider

I went through this with my oldest son (he is 2 1/2 now). I would just keep fluids in him and I put a barrier of vasaline on his tushie so he would not be diaper rashes as easily. It helped a lot. I did this with every diaper change. Also, I would be careful about giving your girl antibiotics after antibiotics. She will build resistants. Antibiotics don't always work depending if the infection is viral or not. Next time I would ask the doctor just to give you some pain med drops for her ears to see if that will help with the pain and see if the infection will go away on its own. Wait at least 5-6 days and take her back to see if it is getting better or worse. You might have to get tubes. My son got tubes at 16 months after suffering through ear infection after ear infection for 8 months. Nothing else worked. He has not had an ear infection since he got his tubes. He was on antibiotics too many times for my liking and it would clear up for about a week and then come right back...meaning the meds were not working. So why give him more. I didn't want him to build resistance.

Welcome to the world of augmentin! My kids did the same thing. Keep her bottom slathered in vasoline to prevent diaper rash and give her vanilla yogurt and bananas.

Antibiotics in all ages effect the intestinal flora, the good bacteria that help our digestive system. Yogurt is sthe way to go for Kennedy as she gets older you may be able to find a supplement, I use Culturelle, the does the same this but in a higher concentration. Give the yogurt while on the antibiotics and then after and the problem should resolve

My son has ear infections like that... he had tubes put in at 7 months and still gets them. You may want to ask your doctor about shots. I cant remember what the shot was called but I do know that it was something that had to be given once a day for three days. After a while the antibiotics start building a barrier and not working. We were afraid he was going to have damage, so the doctor gave him the shot(s) and it cleared up in a matter of days.

I know, I hate letting my little one get shots too... but sometimes you just have to deal with it. He has only had an infection like that once, but I would recommend asking the doctor about it. If she has went through 2 antibiotics and still isnt getting better it may be time.

I will say this, when my son was on the antibiotics he would have several poopie diapers a day. I dont think it really upsets there tummy, its more like a stool softner.

But check for these:
- White discharge, on bottom or on poop
- White tongue or cheeks

This could be the start of thrush. Im assuming since you have been through that much antibiotics that you know about thrush, but just in case... Thrush is a build up of yeast. It actually will burn, so if you start seeing this contact your doctor ASAP. When babies are uncomfortable when the poop or even when they eat they just stop. Poor eating habits can make them have irregular poopie diapers.

Note - if baby gets thrush and you are still breast feeding it will start to burn your nipples. This was the worst pain I have ever felt! Watch for it! Most commonly appears while they are on antibiotics for long periods of time...

On the dehydration... just keep counting the peepee diapers. If you see a decrease call the doctor.

As for the rash, I would recommend putting desitin on every time, before a rash can occur. We did this (everyone thought we were crazy) but my son to this day has yet to have any type of diaper rash :) I say protect the bottom and you will have a happy baby :)

Ok - this was way more than I originally thought I was going to type... but I hope this helps and good luck!

it can cause yeast infection or bladder infection when use antidotes too much , give her a yogurt every day she will be fine or also have the doctor to check out her bladder infection ,there is a cream you get on the shelf at store that can help her ,just ask the doctor ,he will tell you . baby cream is hard to get rid of diaper rash ,Just get the strong kind like older people use them.If she like cranberry mix juice maybe it will help her feel better too.MS

Pro biotics, just as the other moms have suggested!

If you do get diaper rash, sit baby in the tub (or sink with warm water & baking soda. You will not see the results immediatly, but you will see them a few hours later & will be amazed.

Air dry as much as possible.
Keep a thick layer of diaper cream on her.
Change really frequently & keep the diaper off between changes for a long as possible. The exposure to the air will help the healing process!

I remember the days.

Hang in there.

P

Diarrhea and yeast are common side effects from anyone taking Augmentin and many other antibiotics.
This is due to the ATB killing "good" germs along with the bad. The good germs are those that help us digest and metabolize our food. Eating (plain)yogurt, or taking Probiotics along with the ATB, will re-establish the good germs and prevent those unpleasant side effects. Acidophilus is the main probiotic, for most people, infants under one year respond better to Bifidophilus.

I agree with much of what others are saying.

Yes, diaper rash and yeast infections (on the bottom) are very common with antibiotics. My son had 8 ear infections (most double) in 6 months, and took so many antibiotics. Definately go to a health foods store and get probiotics for kids. Yo-baby yogurt is good too.

I second going to the ear, nose, & throat doctor. I wish that I would have gone sooner with my son. Tubes are hands down the best thing we ever did!! If this happens to my next child, I will not wait 6 months before going.

Also, no oral antibiotic ever really completely got rid of my son's infection. After the fluid builds up behind the ear, thickens up, and has no possible way to drain, it really has no choice but to keep getting re-infected. We tried message, chiropractors, etc., nothing really helped it to drain. Rocephin (a 3 series shot) was the only thing that really kept my son infection free for more than a month. They gave him those so he didn't have an infection during his surgery to put in the tubes.

Sorry, for the rambling. I hope your daughter gets feeling better soon!

The antibiotics not only get rid of the infection but also get rid of the good lactibicilus in your stomach. The best thing to do is offer yogurt or get some Baby Jarro-dolphilus and give her 1/4 tsp once a day but not at the same time as giving the antibiotic. I know this works since my son has been taking it since he was about 2 months old he is now 19 1/2 months and it has helped him get through many antibiotics. I hope this helps and I hope Kennedy feels better.

I used to sell antibiotics, and know quite a bit about them. First of all, don't be alarmed about the diarrhea. Call your doctor's office and ask the nurse if you should continue with this antibiotic. Also, watch your daughter to see if she apprears to be in distress (stomach cramping) when she goes. If she isn't uncomfortable, they may tell you to continue it. Please don't listen to the advice telling you it's okay to quit the antibiotic early. While symptoms may clear up, there is still a battle of body vs. bacteria on a quieter level. If you clear the system of the antibiotic too early, those bacteria can grow back and develop another infection. Do give her yogurt (pref Activia which has the right cultures). Rarely, an antibiotic will wipe out normal healthy flora in your system and allow dangerous bacteria (like c. dif) to grow. Do monitor her progress and keep your doctor's office up to date. Keep her hydrated but don't give her a lot of sugary fruit juices which can contribute to the diahrrea. Breastmilk, pedialyte, or water are best. Gerber also has a version of pedialyte which tastes better. Don't let yourself be alarmed by the things listed in the package insert. Serious events are extremely uncommon. Augmentin has been safely used in millions of people over a number of years.

My boys both pooed about 5 times a day until they were potty trained, so that is/was normal for them. If it's more than your daughter normally does, then you might start giving her some probiotics to keep the good bacteria in her tummy, which helps with everything (immunity, digestion, etc).

Hi M.,
I can't speak for the dehydration, but my son just finished a course of augmentin and had the worst case of diaper rash he's ever had. Luckily we did the medicine over 5 days (2x a day) instead of 10 days (1x a day), because the rash went away as soon as he was off the medicine. I think cream helps the rash, but it won't really go away until you are finished with the medicine. Having said that, my sister-in-law has tried every diaper rash cream for their little girl and swears by Bourdreaux's Butt Paste (lovely name, I know).
Good luck.
K.

Definitely give her Culterelle or another probiotic. They really help. You can get it at Riteaid. If the problem worsens or just becomes intolerable, tell your doctor, they may switch her anitbiotic again (that happened with my daughter when she was 11 months and I had to take her to the ER b/c the diarrhea was so bad as was her diaper rash (and I was out of town, hence the ER)). They changed her anitbiotic and here's what they suggested for the diaper rash (which is a great mommy trick)...after wiping her clean, air dry her bottom the best you can. Then put on a layer of Lotrimin (antifungal) cream (can be used twice a day). After that dab her bottom with liquid Mylanta or some other type of antacid (it counters the acidity in her bowel movement). After that, diaper rash cream. It really really helps. Good luck!

My son ended up having to have Rocephin shots for his ear infections because the oral antibiotics really messed with his digestive system and never really seemed to work. I found yogurt and increased fiber consumption (applesauce, oatmeal, toast, etc) helped to solidify his bm and reduce the diaper rash ... I also used a lot of Desetin to protect his skin from the possibility of diaper rash. Also keeping his nose clear (shooting saline in it and using the bulb syringe to suck out any congestion) helped to reduce further incidence of ear infections. Hang in there!

YES!!
My 2 year old daughter finished her last dose of Augmentin, which she was taking for pneumonia, on Friday. She had the WORST diaper rash because of the BM issue. She pooped out the leg of nearly every diaper, and none of the creams/oinments I tried, even the prescription one I still had from another antibiotic reaction, helped. As soon as I would clean her, I'd put Aveeno Cooling Lotion because it soothed the rash, before I'd put on the A&D or Desitin or Butt Paste or Vusion cream. It gave her a tiny bit of relief, long enough for me to put on the cream. The rash went away within 24 hours of the last dose though.

I have no suggestions, just decide if it's worth it to keep your daughter on the meds long enough to kick the infection and deal with the diaper rash afterwards.

M.,
My kids (8,6 and 2) still get upset stomachs when on antibiotics. They just affect some people that way. Just keep your daughter fresh and get some good diaper rash cream and corn starch based baby powder and use it every time you change your baby. If you are worried, ask your pediatrician about giving her a little water or something like pedia-lyte. If the ear infection continues - I would ask about looking for underlying causes (allergies or other).

Good Luck!
T.

Diarrhea is very common with antibiotics. Give her plenty of yogurt and/or kefir (basically liquid yogurt) to help with tummy trouble. If you worried about dehydration, there's always Pedialyte or other electrolyte drinks. As for bad diaper rash, let her be outside with no diaper on. You can also use monistat as a diaper creme, which is a huge help.

Some info that you may not be aware of:

I found this on the internet:

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Mild Effects

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following that are troublesome or ongoing:

oral thrush - white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
vaginal thrush - sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or indigestion.
More Serious Effects

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:

nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, feeling generally unwell, fever, itching, yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), and dark colored urine. This may be a sign of liver disease. It may occur while using AUGMENTIN or even a few weeks after stopping AUGMENTIN.
symptoms such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers which can be a sign of lack of white blood cells
rash - even if it starts a few days or more after starting AUGMENTIN
itchy or burning skin - even if it starts a few days or more after starting AUGMENTIN
You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with AUGMENTIN:

severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
watery and severe diarrhea, which may also be bloody
fever, in combination with one or both of the above

These are rare but serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention. However, this side effect is rare.

****Do not take any diarrhea medicine without first checking with your doctor.

I have found that without antibiotics most eis are over and the child is fine before you finish the course. Most pediatricians will tell you the same thing if you actually ask. I'm not trying to press how I feel about that on you though. I was going to say speak to her dr. about getting tubes put in. My daughter would have them for the most part of 2 years. The dr. put tubes in her ears and she hasn't had one since. She was less than 12 months when they put them in so I am pretty sure that they should be able to do it for her. We kept pedialyte. When she was on formula we mixed it with the formula. When she had juice we mixed it half and half. If she has teeth I would let her munch crackers. It may be messy but the salt will calm her belly some too.

Hi M.,

My kids both get upset stomaches from Augmentin. There are probiotics that you can buy OTC (even thought they are behind the pharmacy counter) that will help with it. They can be mixed into any soft food and help to replace the good bacteria the antibiotics are killing off. (Like yogurt without eating that much yogurt.)

I ask the Dr not to give Augmentin to my kids any more, but Omnicef works great for our problems (which we have just about outgrown).

Good luck!

My little brandon had dirreahea the hole time he was 18 months old while taking aurgumentin I had to take him off that so he would quit having dirreahea and give him plenty of pedylite 2 give him from dyrodated any worse no milk for a week

Anytime my son has to be on an antibiotic we start putting vasolene on his bottom and it prevents diaper rash. It puts a thin protective coating on his bottom.