What some parents don’t expect when their child is ill, is that a common prescription like Zithromax Z-Pak can cause severe antibiotic reactions and may prove fatal for their son or daughter.

Troubling infections, such as ear infections, upper respiratory infections, sinus infections, skin infections, tonsillitis, throat infections or urinary tract infections may require a more potent antibiotic like Zithromax Z-Pak.

Zithromax Z-Pak

Zithromax (azithromycin) is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections such as the common ones listed above that children may have.

Unlike other antibiotics that target bacteria to kill them, Zithromax works by halting the reproduction of bacteria. So instead of the bacteria multiplying and increasing in number, they are essentially at a standstill.

This allows the body’s natural immune defenses to take over and eradicate the infection.

Zithromax is preferred by physicians and patients because of its ease of use. Instead of a 10-14 course of antibiotics, Zithromax is taken for a much shorter time, increasing patient compliance.

The antibiotic is commonly dispensed in a Zithromax Z-Pak which appears in a blister package and is taken for five days. There is also a 3-day course and a single megadose pill, as well as other formulations, but the Zithromax Z-Pak is more common.

Parents often report that Zithromax quickly stops infection in its track, and often will ask for the antibiotic by name.

Zithromax Adverse Effects: SJS

While the antibiotic may be helpful for many, the adverse effects of Zithromax can be devastating.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is an allergic drug reaction to Zithromax or other drugs. Stevens Johnson Syndrome differs from other antibiotic reactions like anaphylaxis because of allergy to ingredients.

In Stevens Johnson Syndrome, the condition starts off looking an awful lot like a case of the flu or the common cold.

Fever, chills, lethargy and sore throat are common and are often overlooked because they resemble the initial condition for which treatment was sought. And since the reaction is not immediate like anaphylaxis, it can easily be ignored.

Following the flu-like symptoms, Stevens Johnson Syndrome then causes the characteristic rash to develop on a patient’s body. This rash consists of purple or red blisters that appear on the mucous membranes of the body, such as the eyes, nose, mouth and genital area and any area of skin.

SJS covers up to 30 percent of the body in these blisters.

After the skin blisters, the skin cells die and slough off in large sheets, exposing the lower layers of skin. This causes the child with SJS to look like a burn victim.

SJS is a medical emergency and the child must be hospitalized, often in the ICU or burn unit. While there is no cure for SJS, the hospital will ensure that the child is stable by providing infection control, wound care, hydration, nutrition and pain management.

Children may recover from Stevens Johnson Syndrome in several days to several months. There may be a full recovery with little to no lasting effects.

Some children, however, go on to develop a more serious condition called Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), where even more of the skin is affected, covering 30 percent or more of the body.

With SJS or TEN, permanent organ damage and blindness may occur depending on the severity of the condition. The mortality for SJS is estimated at 5-10% and for TEN, it is 30-40%

Stevens Johnson Syndrome can occur at any time. It’s not like a typical allergy where shortly after ingesting an offending drug, a reaction appears.

SJS can happen the first time a child takes a Zithromax Z-Pak, but it can also happen years later, even after having taken the prescription several times with no prior reactions. For this reason, parents should be vigilant and should access a physician immediately if any signs of SJS are suspected.

Filing a Zithromax Adverse Effects Lawsuit

If your child has developed Stevens Johnson after taking a Zithromax Z-Pak, generic azithromycin or other form of Zithromax, you may be entitled to legal compensation to recover damages. A Zithromax attorney can review your case for free and can help determine your eligibility.