Add The Health Site as a
Preferred Source Add The Health Site as a Preferred Source

Select Language

Does your child's paediatrician often prescribe antibiotics? Ask him to stop now

Does your child's paediatrician often prescribe antibiotics? Ask him to stop now
Cut down on antibiotics — If you make your child pop antibiotics without thinking twice, it is time you stop. As per a study published in the journal, Pediatrics, taking antibiotics doubles the risk of juvenile arthritis in children. The study also pointed out that if antibiotics are administered within the first year of birth, risk of arthritis is the strongest.

Written by Poorva Chavan |Published : July 2, 2015 9:57 AM IST

Doctors nowadays often prescribe antibiotics for the smallest of infections but rarely do we realise that antibiotics can damage our health in the long run. And, a new study convinces us to be extra careful when our children are prescribed antibiotics. The study claims that repeated exposure to antibiotics early in life can hinder the child's development. Read more about antibiotics--types, dosages, side effects and precautions.

How was the study conducted?

The study was conducted at the NYU Langone Medical Center, and the researchers analysed female mice that were treated with two classes of widely used childhood antibiotics.

Also Read

More News

What did the study find?

Even if the study was limited to mice, lead author, Martin Blaser said that his results are in line with other studies that point towards effects of antibiotics on children. While studying mice, the researchers observed that the mice gained more weight and developed larger bones than untreated mice. These antibiotics also alter the microorganism in the gut and intestinal tract. Read about 10 things you should keep in mind when you are on antibiotics

Why should we limit our antibiotics use?

Blaser explained that people use antibiotics without considering it's biological cost. In the United States, an average child receives ten courses of antibiotics by age 10. The study also found that short but high doses of tylosin-an antibiotic had most pronounced effect on weight gain whereas, amoxicillin affected bone growth making them long. Researchers extensively studied that DNA sequencing data and found that the antibiotics changed the richness and diversity and the nature of the composition of the microbiome in the gut. Blaser also revealed that these antibiotics affect not only the bacterial species but also the microbial genes linked to specific metabolic functions. This study can help design guidelines for the duration and the type of antibiotics that children should be exposed to.

The study is published online in journal Nature Communications.

Image source: Shutterstock

Add The HealthSite as a Preferred Source Add The Health Site as a Preferred Source

For more articles on diseases & conditions, visit our diseases & conditions section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter.

About the Author

Poorva Chavan

... Read More