From the Research
The recommended dosage of Macrobid (nitrofurantoin) for children is 5-7 mg/kg per day, divided into four doses. For urinary tract infections, the typical treatment duration is 5-7 days 1. Children should take the medication with food or milk to improve absorption and reduce stomach upset. Macrobid is generally not recommended for infants under 1 month of age or for children with significant kidney impairment (creatinine clearance less than 30 mL/min) as the drug requires adequate kidney function to concentrate in the urine where it exerts its antibacterial effect.
- The medication works by damaging bacterial DNA and inhibiting protein synthesis, making it effective against many common urinary tract pathogens.
- Parents should ensure children complete the full course of treatment even if symptoms improve before it's finished.
- Common side effects may include nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite, which can be minimized by taking with food.
- If the child develops any unusual symptoms like difficulty breathing, rash, or yellowing of the skin, medical attention should be sought immediately. The most recent and highest quality study 2 compared the safety of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim to other antibiotics, including nitrofurantoin, and found that nitrofurantoin had a more favorable safety profile, which supports its use as a first-line treatment for urinary tract infections in children.