Common childhood bacterial infections

Acute bacterial infections are a common cause of pediatric visits to the emergency department. The diagnosis and treatment of pharyngitis, otitis media, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, acute bacterial lymphadenitis and gastroenteritis are reviewed. The authors propose the use of a limited number of antibiotic agents including penicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, lincomycin, cephalexin, a sulfonamide and tetracycline to improve efficiency and quality of care and to allow physicians to become familiar with the drugs' characteristics, indications, dosage and side effects.