The simplest and most effective way to avoid an allergic reaction to penicillin is to avoid taking penicillin and other forms of the drug. Unlike food allergies or additive sensitivities, individuals with a penicillin allergy can avoid their allergen with relative ease. People with this allergy should inform all healthcare providers (including dentists) of their condition. Individuals with a severe penicillin allergy should wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace to inform healthcare workers of their condition.

To better avoid exposure, individuals with a penicillin allergy should also learn the other names of the medications in the penicillin family. These include:

• Amoxicillin
• Ampicillin
• Dicloxacillin
• Nafcillin
• Penicillin G
• Penicillin V
• Azlocillin
• Mezlocillin
• Oxacillin
• Piperacillin

Some individuals who are allergic to penicillins will also be allergic to the cephalosporin family of antibiotics, which are chemically similar to penicillins. A physician can use an allergy skin test to make the determination and can prescribe an alternate type of antibiotics if this cross-reactivity is present.

Although there are steps people can take to avoid exposure, accidental contact with penicillin can occur and highly susceptible individuals should be prepared. Physicians often recommend that allergic individuals who are highly sensitive to penicillin carry an epinephrine shot with them at all times. These shots are used to counteract the affects of the potentially life–threatening condition known as anaphylactic shock. These allergic individuals should know how to correctly self–administer their medication and family and friends should also be instructed on its use. Parents of children with penicillin allergies should know how to properly treat a severe reaction in their child and also inform school officials and other caregivers of these procedures.

Some physicians believe that children require repeated exposure to penicillin in order to develop sensitivity to the drug. Children who have a pre–existing respiratory or skin allergies are not more likely to have a penicillin allergy, but rather are more likely to experience a severe reaction if they do have a penicillin allergy. Penicillin allergies are more common in children than adults.

Some people who are in great need of a penicillin treatment, but who have an allergy to the drug, can undergo a process known as desensitization. With this type of treatment, a patient is exposed to small amounts of penicillin every few minutes (usually intravenously). This exposure weakens the body’s sensitivity to the drug gradually, and only for a short period of time.

Desensitization is designed to work only long enough to allow a patient to receive a full dose of penicillin. If penicillin is required again in the future, the patient must undergo the desensitization process again. Because this type of treatment involves exposing a person to an allergen, it does carry a certain amount of risk.

Penicillin is capable of passing through breast milk, though usually in a highly diluted form. These slight amounts can still cause allergic reactions, diarrhea, fungal infections and skin rashes in some infants. Breastfeeding women should consult their physicians before using penicillin.