A5V4d

Feverish illness in children
The GDG considers that there is insufficient evidence of effectiveness or cost-effectiveness to change
the current UK practice (to give parenteral antibiotics at the earliest opportunity). As with oral
antibiotics, the difference in costs (including consumables) should be taken into account when
prescribing. Treatment should normally be initiated with the drug with the lowest cost (taking
consumables into account).
Recommendations
Number Recommendation
152
Empirical treatment with parenteral antibiotics
46 Give parenteral antibiotics to children with suspected meningococcal disease at the
earliest opportunity (either benzylpenicillin or a third-generation cephalosporin). *
[2007]
* See Bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia (NICE clinical guideline 102).