<![CDATA[Acute respiratory infection is one of the leading causes of hospitalization among children, and inappropriate medication use may reduce treatment effectiveness while increasing the risk of adverse events and antimicrobial resistance. Although numerous studies have examined antibiotic prescribing, comprehensive evaluations of overall medication use in hospitalized pediatric patients remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the appropriateness of medication use for children hospitalized with acute respiratory infection using a structured drug use evaluation approach. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using medical records and prescription sheets of pediatric inpatients treated from January to June 2026. Quantitative analysis described prescribing patterns, whereas qualitative analysis assessed medication appropriateness based on established clinical standards, including drug selection, dosage, dosage form, administration route, drug combinations, and potential drug interactions. The findings showed that syrup formulations and oral administration were the most frequently prescribed, while antibiotics were prescribed in 41.6% of prescriptions. Potential drug interactions were identified in 19.89% of prescriptions, whereas clinically significant drug combinations were rare. Overall, prescribing practices generally reflected rational medication use, although several prescriptions required closer monitoring because of potential safety concerns. The novelty of this study lies in its comprehensive evaluation of pediatric medication use by integrating quantitative and qualitative drug use evaluation to support safer prescribing and improve pharmaceutical care in hospital settings.]]>
