Update on the Treatment of Infections in the Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Although many similarities exist between pediatric and adult critical care, several important distinctions should be made with regard to the treatment of infections. Any discussion of age-related consideration must take into account variations in the pharmacokinetics of antibiotics for infants and children. Important variations are seen in absorption, distribution, and excretion and must be considered in the determination of appropriate age-related dosing. Some variations also exist in patterns of expected flora, suspected pathogens, and patterns of resistance. This is true for both community-acquired illnesses and hospital-acquired infections. Finally, certain infections occur predominately or uniquely in neonates and children. This review addresses these 3-main areas for both the pediatric and neonatal intensive care patient.