Doctors get safety alert over child antibiotics

Gentamicin is delivered intravenously to treat a range of infections, including breathing difficulties, during the first few days of life.

The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has now issued new guidance after receiving 507 reports of harm or potential harm to babies caused by staff errors in the 12 months to last March.

Of the incidents, 483 resulted in little or no harm to the babies, while 23 caused "moderate" harm.

One case was "severe", but the NPSA would not comment further because of patient confidentiality. The baby has lived.

The NPSA said some youngsters may have suffered hearing and renal damage – side effects of the drug – that may not yet be apparent. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting and a rash.

In 182 cases, babies were given gentamicin at the wrong times of day or "near misses" occurred.

In another 124 incidents, "prescribing errors" such as wrong doses were recorded, while in 86 cases, blood levels were not monitored properly.

Gentamicin needs to be given at certain times of the day to ensure effectiveness, then blood levels should be monitored to check its concentration.

The new NPSA guidance– which relates to England and Wales – says all hospitals must have protocols on the exact dosages for gentamicin and rules for monitoring blood.

Jenny Mooney, NPSA's child health lead, said: "Frontline services should adopt this latest patient safety alert to ensure high standards of care are taken in the prescribing, administrating and monitoring of this drug."