From the Guidelines
The child should be prescribed an alternative dosage of doxycycline, such as 100mg to be taken as 3/4 of a tablet or capsule, or a different dosage based on their weight, as doxycycline is crucial in preventing Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses when given promptly after a tick bite 1. When a child is prescribed 75mg of doxycycline for a tick bite and the pharmacy cannot provide this dosage due to discontinuation, there are several alternative approaches that can be taken.
- The doctor can prescribe doxycycline 100mg to be taken as 3/4 of a tablet or capsule, which can be achieved by splitting tablets using a pill cutter or by having the pharmacist compound a 75mg dose or provide instructions for opening the capsule and measuring 3/4 of the contents 1.
- Alternatively, the doctor might prescribe a different dosage based on the child's weight, typically 2.2 mg/kg twice daily for tick bite prophylaxis, as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 1. It is essential not to skip treatment for a tick bite, as doxycycline can prevent Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses when given promptly 1.
- The prescribing doctor should be contacted to discuss these options, as they can issue a new prescription with appropriate instructions.
- It is also important to note that doxycycline is relatively contraindicated for children under 8 years old, and alternative antimicrobials such as amoxicillin may be considered in these cases 1.
From the Research
Dosage and Availability of Doxycycline for Tick Bite Treatment
- The prescribed dosage of 75mg doxycycline for a child with a tick bite may not be available as it was discontinued, according to the pharmacy.
- However, there is no mention of a 75mg dosage in the provided studies, which discuss various treatment options for Lyme disease, including doxycycline, but with different dosages 2, 3, 4, 5.
- A study from 2008 mentions that single-dose doxycycline (200 mg orally) can be used as prophylaxis in selected patients 2.
- Another study from 2021 explores the use of antibiotic prophylaxis, including doxycycline, to prevent Lyme disease after a tick bite, with a single-dose of 200-mg doxycycline showing promising results 4.
Alternative Treatment Options
- If the prescribed 75mg doxycycline is not available, alternative treatment options may be considered, such as amoxicillin or cefuroxime axetil, which are mentioned in the studies as effective treatments for early Lyme disease 2, 3, 5.
- A study from 1992 compares the efficacy of cefuroxime axetil and doxycycline in the treatment of early Lyme disease, showing that both treatments are effective, but with some differences in adverse events 5.
Conclusion Not Provided as per Request
No research papers directly address the issue of a discontinued 75mg doxycycline dosage for tick bite treatment in children. The provided studies discuss various treatment options for Lyme disease, but with different dosages and patient populations.