information for parents and carers

Ethambutol for treatment of tuberculosis

This leaflet is about the use of ethambutol for the treatment of
tuberculosis (TB for short). Your child will have to take up to four
medicines for at least 3-6 months to cure their TB.

This leaflet has been written for parents and carers about how How should I give it?
to use this medicine in children. Our information sometimes
Tablets should be swallowed with a glass of
differs from that provided by the manufacturers, because their
water, milk or juice. Your child should not chew
information is usually aimed at adult patients. Please read
the tablet.
this leaflet carefully. Keep it somewhere safe so that you can
read it again. Liquid medicine: Shake the bottle before use.
Measure out the right amount an oral syringe or
It is essential that your child takes all their medicine spoon. You can get these from your
medicines daily, as explained by the doctor, and pharmacist. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it

5.0 ml
2.5 ml
continues until the doctor tells you to stop. will not give the right amount.

When should the medicine start working?

Name of drug Your child will start to feel better after taking the TB medicines
Ethambutol (e-THAM-bu-tol) for about 2 weeks and should have fewer symptoms. They
must continue to take the drugs every day until the doctor
Why is it important for my child to take this medicine? says to stop treatment. This will be for at least 2 months for
The bacteria that cause TB are hard to kill. Your child will ethambutol and at least 6 months for the other TB medicines.
have to take up to four medicines for at least 3-6 months.
What if my child is sick (vomits)?
Ethambutol is one of these key medicines. It is given for the
first two months of a treatment course. •• If your child is sick less than 30 minutes after having a
dose of ethambutol, give them the same dose again.
Your child may not necessarily have symptoms from
the TB infection. Any symptoms should start to improve •• If your child is sick more than 30 minutes after having
soon after starting treatment. You must continue to give a dose of ethambutol, you do not need to give them
the medicines until your doctor tells you to stop. If you another dose. Wait until the next normal dose.
stop too soon, or your child does not take the medicines If your child is sick again, seek advice from your GP, TB nurse,
as your doctor has told you to, the bacteria may not be pharmacist or hospital . They will decide what to do based on
killed and the TB may come back. your child’s condition and the specific medicine involved.
It is also possible that the bacteria will become ‘resistant’
What if I forget to give it?
to (no longer be killed by) the first drugs, which means
that they will no longer work. This may mean that other Give the missed dose when you remember during the day, as
stronger drugs will have to be used, or the TB will no long as this is at least 12 hours before the next dose is due.
longer be treatable.
What if I give too much?
What is ethambutol available as? You are unlikely to do harm if you give an extra dose of
ethambutol by mistake. If you concerned that you may have
•• Tablets: 100 mg, 400 mg
given too much, contact your doctor, TB nurse or local NHS
•• Liquid medicine can be ordered specially from your
services (111 in parts England and Scotland; 0845 4647 in
pharmacist
Wales). Have the medicine or packaging with you if you
When should I give ethambutol? telephone for advice.
Ethambutol (along with other TB drugs) is usually given once Are there any possible side-effects?
each day. This can be in the morning or the evening.
We use medicines to make our children better, but sometimes
Give the medicines at about the same time each day so that they have other effects that we don’t want (side-effects).
this becomes part of your child’s daily routine, which will help
you to remember. Side effects you must do something about
Your child may have problems with their eyesight: they
How much should I give? may find it difficult to tell colours apart, have blurry
Your doctor will work out the amount of ethambutol (the dose) vision, or may not be able to see things clearly at the
that is right for your child. The dose will be shown on the edge of their vision. If you or your child think that their
medicine label. eyesight is changing, contact your doctor straight
away; do not give any more ethambutol. These
It is important that you follow your doctor’s
changes will normally reverse when the treatment is
instructions about how much to give.
stopped.
 If your child seems to bruise more easily or bleeding General advice about medicines
doesn’t stop as quickly as you would expect, continue to •• Give medicines at about the same times each day, to
give ethambutol, but contact your doctor straight away, help you remember.
as there may be a problem with your child’s blood.
•• Only give this medicine to your child. Never give it to
•• If your child feels numbness, weakness or ‘pins anyone else, even if their condition appears to be the
and needles’ in their arms or legs, continue to give same, as this could do harm.
ethambutol but contact your doctor, as there may be a
problem with your child’s nerves.
•• If you think someone else may have taken the medicine
by accident, contact your doctor.
•• Your child may develop itchiness or a rash. Try applying
•• Make sure that you always have enough medicine.
a moisturising cream or anti-itch cream. If this does Order a new prescription at least 2 weeks before you
not help, continue to give ethambutol, but contact your will run out.
doctor, in case your child is allergic to ethambutol.
•• Make sure that the medicine you have at home has
Other side-effects you need to know about not reached the ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date on the
Your child may get the following side-effects when they first packaging. Give old medicines to your pharmacist to
start taking ethambutol. These usually get better after a week, dispose of.
but if they are still a problem after this, contact your doctor.
•• They may get an upset stomach, cramps or diarrhoea. Where should I keep this medicine?
It may help to give each dose with some food. •• Keep the medicine in a cupboard, away from heat and
•• They may lose their appetite (feel less hungry). direct sunlight. You may need to keep liquid medicine in
Encourage them to eat small meals often. the fridge – check the instructions on the bottle.
•• They may develop a metallic taste in their mouth. •• Make sure that children cannot see or reach the
Eating citrus fruits or taking sips of water may help. medicine.
There may, sometimes, be other side-effects that are not listed •• Keep the medicine in the container it came in.
above. If you notice anything unusual and are concerned,
contact your doctor. You can report any suspected side-effects Who to contact for more information
to a UK safety scheme at http://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk. Your child’s doctor, pharmacist or TB nurse will be able to
give you more information about ethambutol and about other
Can other medicines be given at the same time as medicines used to treat TB.
ethambutol? You can also get useful information from:
•• You can give your child medicines that contain England: NHS 111 - 111 - www.nhs.uk
paracetamol or ibuprofen, unless your doctor has told
Scotland: NHS 24 - 111 - www.nhs24.com
you not to.
Wales/Galw Lechyd Cymru: NHS Direct - 0845 4647 -
•• Ethambutol should not be taken with some medicines
www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk
that you get on prescription. Tell your doctor about
all medicines your child is taking before starting Northern Ireland: NI Direct - www.nidirect.gov.uk
ethambutol. British Lung Foundation: 0845 850 5020 - www.lunguk.org
•• Check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving any
other medicines to your child. This includes herbal or
complementary medicines.

Is there anything else I need to know about this

medicine?
•• Depending on the age of your child, your doctor may
test their eyesight before and during treatment with
ethambutol.
Keep all your clinic appointments, as your doctor or TB
nurse needs to check how your child is doing.

www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk

Version 2, September 2014. © NPPG, RCPCH and WellChild 2011, all rights reserved. Reviewed by: September 2017.
The primary source for the information in this leaflet is the British National Formulary for Children. For details on any other sources used for this leaflet, please contact us through
our website, www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk
We take great care to make sure that the information in this leaflet is correct and up-to-date. However, medicines can be used in different ways for different patients. It is
important that you ask the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about something. This leaflet is about the use of these medicines in the UK, and may not apply
to other countries. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (NPPG), WellChild and the contributors and
editors cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information, omissions of information, or any actions that may be taken as a consequence of reading this leaflet.