Common indications for pediatric antibiotic prophylaxis.

Antimicrobial prophylaxis prevents infection and/or complications of infection, and is a routine practice for defined procedures in the hospital. Emergency rooms and pediatric acute care facilities do not have automated procedures for antimicrobial prophylaxis in place. The responsibility thus falls on the physician caring for the child to appropriately prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection and complications of infection. Common indications for antimicrobial prophylaxis in the pediatric acute care setting include traumatic wounds, meningococcal exposures, pertussis exposures, and influenza exposures. For each of these indications, the assessment, management and disposition of pediatric patients are reviewed.