Db and ds on antibiotics - please help with timings

[RhubarbFool]

Ds (5yo) has scarlet fever and the pediatrician has prescribed him and his 15mo brother antibiotics. The dosage says 3 times daily, which I'm assuming to mean breakfast, lunchtime/afternoon and supper/bedtime.

Db goes to bed at 6.30 and wakes up any time between 6.30 and 7.30 in the mornings, but has breakfast at 8. So this morning (first day) he had his antibiotics at 8, then 2 - and now he's gone to bed (7pm where I am) - I'm going to wake him at 8pm to give him the last dose.

Does this make sense? Am worried about doing the dosages too close together so wanted to keep 6 hours inbetween. But it's obviously not ideal to have to wake him up after he's gone to bed.

wwyd?

[Julia2132009]

I had to give antibiotics 3X daily to my DS (whose waking/bedtime schedule is the same as your DS) for a chest infection. I just gave them at breakfast, lunch and dinner without worrying about them being too close together (he got better and there were no problems). I thought at the time that they would state on the instructions if the doses had to be a certain number of hours apart. If you are worried you could go into your local pharmacy and ask the pharmacist, call your surgery and ask if you can check with a nurse/doctor on the phone, or you could call NHS Direct. Hope he gets well soon.

[beammeupscotty]

Pharmacists are best to ask re meds.
Antibiotics should, I think, be taken about an hour before a meal to help with absorption, but its not essential. Perhaps when DB wakes first thing? I think you'll find equally spaced doses are the optimum to keep the level in the blood highest, but not essential - the level stays high enough to do its job - you can tell that by the fact the every pee smells of penicillin no matter what time of the day or night!!

[RhubarbFool]

Thanks both of you - I'll double check with the pharmacist tomorrow.