Antibiotics must be taken at the dose and for the duration prescribed by a doctor. Reducing the dose on your own or stopping the medicine halfway is never correct.
Why you must not stop an antibiotic halfway: Stopping halfway causes the bacteria not to be fully destroyed, and the surviving bacteria mutate and develop resistance. This leads to the problem of antibiotic resistance for both the individual and society.
Antibiotic use in children: Starting antibiotic treatment on your own as soon as the temperature rises is a serious mistake. Fever is often the body's response to infection. Antibiotics are ineffective against viral infections, and unnecessary use harms the intestinal flora. To assess the cause, observation, a pediatric examination and, if necessary, a complete blood count, leukocyte formula and CRP are important.
Considerations when prescribing antibiotics: the patient's age, weight, comorbidities, allergy history, complete blood values, liver and kidney function tests — because some antibiotics can cause changes in the kidneys and others in the liver.
Antibiotics during Ramadan: People who are fasting can schedule their intake at iftar and suhur times. However, taking an antibiotic immediately after a long fast can cause gastrointestinal complaints — consult your doctor about the timing and doses.
