Running head: ANTIBIOTICS AND KIDS 1

Antibiotics and Kids

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Antibiotics and Kids

First, as a doctor, I will not give antibiotics to the mother because the child does not have

a disease that requires antibiotics. It is important to note that while antibiotics are essential for

the treatment of a bacterial infection, many childhood diseases are caused by viruses that cannot

be treated with antibiotics. In addition, it is problematic to consume antibiotics when they are not

necessary because they eliminate the healthy bacteria that form "microbiome," or the bacteria,

fungi, and viruses that constitute approximately half of the cells of human body. This means that

it is important to use antibiotics sparingly and only when necessary (Blaser, 2011).

Parents should know that antibiotics are not necessary for all diseases and that it can be

potentially dangerous to give them to the child when they are not justified. The abuse of

unnecessary antibiotics exposes the child to possible side effects of the medication, such as

diarrhea, canker sores, and diaper rash. It also increases the risk of resistance to antibiotics, so

one may need a stronger antibiotic the next time they get sick. Antibiotics may increase the risk

of autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease and juvenile idiopathic arthritis,

although parents should keep in mind that the overall risk is still very low (Togoobaatar et al.,

2010). Some research suggests that antibiotics may increase the risk of overweight in the child if

they get taken without prescription. It contributes to the abuse of antibiotics in the community,

which can lead to the growth of new strains of bacteria, which are totally resistant to antibiotics.

As more and more bacteria have developed and have not responded to treatment in communities

across the country, this has become a major public health problem. A child should only take
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antibiotics when a doctor has prescribed antibiotics, in all cases in which they suspect a bacterial

infection.

If a child is diagnosed with a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be just the ticket.

Specific ailments likely to warrant a course of antibiotics, including Strep throat, impetigo, ear

infections, bacterial skin infections, bacterial pneumonia, and urinary tract and bladder

infections. Antibiotics kill bacteria only not viruses, which are the villain behind many childhood

ailments, including; hand, foot, and mouth disease the common cold, the flu, fifth disease, and

croup. For all of these illnesses, an antibiotic would not do the child any kind the child is better

off without one.

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References

Blaser, M. (2011). Antibiotic overuse: stop the killing of beneficial bacteria. Nature, 476(7361),

393.

Togoobaatar, G., Ikeda, N., Ali, M., Sonomjamts, M., Dashdemberel, S., Mori, R., & Shibuya,

K. (2010). Survey of non-prescribed use of antibiotics for children in an urban

community in Mongolia. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 88, 930-936.