From the FDA Drug Label
The FDA drug label does not answer the question.
From the Research
Common pediatric board questions often focus on key areas such as growth and development milestones, immunization schedules, common childhood illnesses, and management of pediatric emergencies, with a recent study 1 showing that azithromycin is comparable to amoxicillin/clavulanate in treating otitis media in children and is safer and more tolerable. For growth and development, remember that children should double their birth weight by 5 months, triple it by 1 year, and quadruple it by 2 years. Language milestones include:
- babbling by 6 months
- first words by 12 months
- two-word phrases by 24 months The immunization schedule includes:
- hepatitis B at birth
- DTaP, IPV, Hib, PCV13, and rotavirus starting at 2 months
- MMR and varicella at 12 months
- various boosters throughout childhood For fever management in infants, those under 28 days with fever ≥38°C require full sepsis workup and admission, while those 29-90 days may be risk-stratified using criteria like the Rochester criteria. Common questions also address management of:
- acute otitis media, with azithromycin being a viable alternative to amoxicillin, especially in cases where amoxicillin is not tolerated or is less effective, as shown in a study 1
- bronchiolitis, which is typically managed with supportive care including nasal suctioning and hydration
- asthma exacerbations, which can be managed with albuterol 2.5-5 mg via nebulizer or 4-8 puffs via MDI with spacer every 20 minutes for three doses, followed by systemic corticosteroids. Understanding these core concepts helps build a foundation for answering pediatric board questions successfully, and staying updated with the latest research, such as the study 1 published in 2021, is crucial for providing the best possible care.