RT Book, Section A1 Schleiss, Mark R. A2 Kline, Mark W. SR Print(0) ID 1182935171 T1 Antibacterial Therapy T2 Rudolph's Pediatrics, 23e YR 2018 FD 2018 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781259588594 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1182935171 RD 2024/03/29 AB Antibacterial therapy in infants and children presents many unique challenges not faced in other clinical specialties. A major problem is the paucity of pediatric data regarding efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and optimal dosages; pediatric recommendations are therefore often extrapolated from studies in adults. Age-appropriate antibiotic dosing and toxicities must also be considered, taking into account the developmental status and physiology of children. The clinician must consider important differences among various age groups with respect to the pathogenic bacterial species responsible for pediatric infections. Specific antibiotic therapy is optimally driven by a microbiologic diagnosis, predicated on isolation of the pathogenic organism from a normally sterile body site, and supported by antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Given the inherent difficulties that can arise in collecting specimens from pediatric patients and given the increased risk of serious bacterial infection in young infants, much of pediatric infectious diseases practice is based on clinical diagnosis with empirical use of antibacterial agents before or even without eventual identification of the specific pathogen.