Published on 6 November 2023

Rational antibiotic therapy in paediatric practice

Antibiotics are among the most frequently used drugs in paediatric and adolescent medicine. Data from Germany, the United States and Switzerland show that the majority of antibiotic prescriptions in paediatrics and adolescent medicine are for respiratory tract infections. It is estimated that in one-third of these cases, the use of antibiotics is unnecessary. This is where rational therapy comes in: only children and adolescents who are likely to benefit from such a therapy should be treated with antibiotics.