Penicillin Rash: Allergies to Antibiotics

A penicillin rash or allergy to penicillin allergy is something that occurs for some children that take antibiotics. Also if you are allergic to penicillin you may not be able to take other antibiotics that are in the same class. This means you may not be able to take amoxicillin or bactrim, cephalexin, cefprozil and generics. It also can be a good idea to avoid antibiotics in the cephalosporins class of drugs as these may be problematical. There are still other antibiotic classes that you can take if you have an infection and these can be prescribed from the fluoroquinolone class as well as using tetracycline antibitoics.

One thing that is confusing is that sometimes you can get a rash when you are ill and attribute it to the antibiotic when it may be a result of the infection itself. For instance, some people will get a strep rash or a rash from an illness that is accompanied by a fever. Be sure to discuss with your doctor if the rash is a penicillin rash and not one due to the infection or underlying disease the antibiotic is fighting. It is also good to rule out if there were foods you may have reacted to or any contact dermatitis from chemicals. Sometimes kids will eat a lot of junk food when they are sick so be sure the reaction isn't from those ingredients.

The penicillin rash itself can look like small pimples or hives and be quite itchy. If there is any face swelling, throat swelling or constrictive feeling in the chest, be sure to seek immediate medical attention. For some kids there may be a feeling that their eyes are itchy. Complications in a severe allergic reaction can lead to respiration failure. Many people are familiar with as a consequence of bee sting allergic reactions but it can also happen for those with a sensitivity to penicillin. You will notice shortness of breath in your child and should then contact your doctor or head to emergency room. Look for other symptoms such as wheezing or feeling dizzy.

For many that have the penicillin rash, the allergic response doesn't have to appear immediately after taking the antibiotic. It can appear several days into taking it or even at the end of it's course. Relief from those with a mild allergy can be treated using antihistamines orally, creams with antihistamines and taking soothing baths.