Although antibiotics such as penicillin are life saving drugs, many people opt to avoid using them due to assumptions of being allergic to penicillin. In today’s podcast we are joined by Dr. Victoria Dimitriades, a pediatric allergist immunologist, to discuss the myths surrounding antibiotic allergies, how pediatricians may consider attributing the characteristics of a rash to antibiotics related to penicillin, and when it may be appropriate to be referred to an allergy specialist for further allergy testing.

This episode was written by Dr. Victoria Dimitriades, Lena van der List, Dean Blumberg, and Neha Valluri.

Supplemental information:

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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fact sheet Is it Really a Penicillin Allergy?

  
  
  
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  American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Penicillin Allergy FAQ

  
  
  
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  Harvard Health Think your child has a penicillin allergy? Maybe not.

  
  
  

Penicillin photo courtesy of Julia Serat, award winning photographer at Shriners Hospital for Children Northern California.  Penicillin vial courtesy of Jesse L. Steinfeld, MD.