Gentamicin

• This important antibiotic is used in the treatment of many infections
• It is given to babies with breathing problems for the first 48 hours of their stay in the Neonatal Unit
• Gentamicin is often given with Penicillin as they work well together
• After 48 hours, if blood cultures show an infection sensitive to Gentamicin, the treatment will be continued for several days
• If your baby remains unwell, the consultant may decide to keep your baby on Gentamicin, even if blood cultures have not shown an infection
• Your baby’s nurse will inject the Gentamicin into a cannula which stays in place in your baby’s hand, foot or, occasionally, head
• Gentamicin is given once a day and it is very rare for a baby to react badly to it
• The main side effects are skin rash, sickness and vomiting
• If too much Gentamicin builds up in your baby’s blood, his ears and kidneys could be damaged
• To stop this from happening, the amount of Gentamicin in your baby’s blood is carefully monitored by taking a small sample of blood before and after the 3rd dose and then every 3 to 5 days until the course is finished