Why Doctors Today use Antibiotics Sparingly with Children
The medical profession now recognises that antibiotics were very significantly over-prescribed in past generations.
This is a particularly important subject for childcare age children.
Childcare age children and antibiotics
Prior to the 1940s, bacteriological infections were a major scourge of humanity. Sometimes relatively minor wounds could turn sceptic and lead to the loss of a limb or death. The terrible mortality of diseases such as Tuberculosis struck terror in people.
Suddenly, once penicillin and other related drugs were produced, it seemed as if bacteriological illness were a thing of the past.
Although such treatments were revolutionary and have made a vast contribution to human civilisation, unfortunately, things have started to go wrong more recently.
The problem is that antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria have started to emerge. As they have done so, medical research has rushed to develop new drugs to try and keep pace but as of today, there is some indication that bacteria are winning the war.
The cause of what appears to be this reversal of fortune for humanity is relatively clear – and the treatment of childhood ailments may have played a part in that.
Over-prescription of antibiotics
Many illnesses and ailments, including some of those affecting children, are caused by virus infections. Good examples include the common cold, influenza and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), the latter of which is one of the biggest causes of children’s hospitalisation in the western world.
Basic primary school biology teaches us that antibiotics have no effect whatsoever on a virus, being designed to cope with an entirely different organism, i.e. the bacterium.
However, parents with a sick child are naturally desperate to see someone doing something to help their child. As a result, from the mid-20th century onwards, medical professionals were often under intense pressure to prescribe antibiotics in cases where they would clearly have no effect other than possibly as a placebo or a psychological help for parents who wished to see action being taken.
At least partly as a result of such over-prescription to children (and adults), the basic forces of evolution and natural selection helped bacteria to build up resistance to this class of drug.
Other contributory factors included the use of antibiotics in the food chain and the failure of some patients to fully complete a prescribed course once they felt better.
Today’s new reality
Most doctors will now only prescribe antibiotics where there is a primary bacteriological origin to the problem. In some instances, they may be prescribed where the main problem is medical requiring prophylaxis (e.g. post-surgery surgery) or viral, if secondary bacteriological infections have arisen as a result.
In the case of childcare age children, many doctors may now recommend allowing the child’s own immune system to deal with minor viral infections, prescribing only medications to help alleviate the symptoms.
It’s also imperative that where antibiotics are used, that the parents ensure that their child fully finishes the prescribed course over time, even if they appear fully recovered in advance of that.
If you have any health concerns over your child, it’s important to discuss them with your own doctor or other qualified healthcare professional.
All our Dayton childcare centre personnel are trained in basic first aid and medical support for children. If you’d like to find out more about our capabilities in this area, please make an appointment to come along and we’ll gladly explain how we’re geared up to cope with minor medical issues!
