The first flu shot is given at six months after the children are born.
Giving infants antibiotics to quickly cure them of temporary ailments could result in a variety of illnesses later. A recent study has shown that antibiotics administered to children younger than two are associated with several ongoing illnesses or conditions, ranging from allergies to asthma, warn researchers.
The observations and results were published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The authors claimed the gender of the child, the number of doses, age of the child, type of medication also accounts for different effects. "We want to emphasize that this study shows an association, not causation, of these conditions," said author Nathan LeBrasseur. He is a researcher at Mayo Clinic's Center on Aging and specified these findings only offer new ways to analyse, study, and target how to have a safer approach to dose and timing of antibiotics when treating young children.
Around 14,500 children were a part of the study. Out of which, about 70 per cent of t these children confirmed have received at least one treatment with antibiotics for illness before age 2.
The findings showed that children receiving multiple antibiotic treatments were more likely to have multiple illnesses or conditions later in childhood.
Types and frequency of illness varied depending on age, type of medication, dose, and the number of doses. There also were some differences between boys and girls.
Conditions associated with early use of antibiotics included asthma, allergic rhinitis, weight issues and obesity, food allergies, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, celiac disease, and atopic dermatitis.
The authors speculate that even though antibiotics may only transiently affect the microbiome, the collection of microbes in the body, this may have long-term health consequences.
"These findings offer the opportunity to target future research to determine more reliable and safer approaches to timing, dosing, and types of antibiotics for children in this age group," said study author Nathan LeBrasseur from the Mayo Clinic.
While recent data show an increase in some of the childhood conditions involved in the study, experts are not sure why.
Other than the issue of multi-drug resistance, antibiotics have been presumed safe by most pediatricians.
Researchers also noted the ultimate goal is to provide practical guidelines for physicians on the safest way to use antibiotics early in life.
The study follows another one initially published in August that showed improper prescription of antibiotics at urgent care clinics. The study found individuals and their spouses were influenced to seek more antibiotics after previously being prescribed them to treat viral infections.
Antibiotics are used to prevent or treat some bacterial infections, however, and will not work for viral infections.
(With inputs from Agencies)
