Pedemy All toolsPick the infection and answer a few questions to get the next step, weight-based doses, and school advice.
This tool walks a clinician through the common bacterial skin infections of childhood: impetigo, nonpurulent cellulitis, abscesses, severe or necrotizing infection, and recurrent S. aureus abscesses. Each answer leads to a clear next step rather than a list of possibilities.
Doses are shown per kilogram with a maximum per dose, and the page calculates the dose when a weight is entered. The tool separates strep-predominant nonpurulent cellulitis, treated with cephalexin or cefadroxil, from purulent infection, where incision and drainage come first and MRSA-active antibiotics are added only when there is a reason.
It also flags who needs admission, with a lower threshold for young infants and immunocompromised children, the red flags for necrotizing infection, decolonization for recurrent abscesses, and return-to-school rules such as 24 hours of treatment for impetigo.
No. Incision and drainage is the main treatment. Antibiotics are added for an abscess larger than about 2 cm, surrounding cellulitis, fever or systemic signs, rapid progression, a hard-to-drain site, a young infant, or an immunocompromised child.
Cephalexin or cefadroxil, because group A strep and MSSA are the usual causes. Clindamycin is used when MRSA risk or a serious beta-lactam allergy is present and local clindamycin resistance is low. A 5-day course is enough if the child is improving.
After 24 hours of antibiotic treatment, with lesions covered.
Pain out of proportion to the exam, rapid spread, tense swelling, bullae, skin necrosis, crepitus, numb skin, and systemic toxicity. These need urgent surgery plus IV vancomycin, piperacillin-tazobactam and clindamycin.
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