Skip to main content

Table 1 Antimicrobial stewardship strategies in paediatric settings

From: Antimicrobial stewardship in paediatrics

Main Strategies

 Review and analyse antibiotic use after they have been prescribed

 Reach consensus on antibiotic use before they are prescribed

Problems that must be considered for rational antibiotic use

 Prompt initiation of antibiotic use when indicated

 Avoiding use of antibiotics for conditions not due to bacteria

 Choice of the first and second line drugs for the demonstrated or supposed bacterial etiology responsible for the disease that requires treatment

 Identification of proper dose, fractioning, and duration of antibiotic and switch from intravenous to per os according to the patient and the disease

 Choice of conditions for which antibiotic prophylaxis is needed

Methods to rationalize antibiotic therapy

 Education (i.e., lectures, handbooks, educational conferences, guidelines)

 Use of antibiotic order forms

 Formation of multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team

 Obtaining administrative and leadership support

 Continuous and transparent monitoring of antibiotic use

 Adequate use of diagnostic tests, including point-of-care tests

 Knowledge of local resistance rates for different pathogens