11/01 - Antibiotics - Overuse may hurt kids!!!!

Friday, January 4, 2002 . Posted: 18:28:30 (AEDT)

Researchers study effects of antibiotics on small children

Researchers at the Australian National University and the Canberra Hospital have uncovered a link between drug resistant bacteria and the use of antibiotics.

The finding follows a two year study of the effects of antibiotics on pre-school children.

Dr Peter Collingnon from the hospital's infectious diseases unit says for each day children took antibiotics, their chances of developing the bacteria increased 4 per cent.

Dr Collingnon says results highlight the potential danger of over-prescription.

"There's an awful lot of infections we have that are due to viruses, and antibiotics make no difference whatsoever," he said.

"What this study shows is that it's important not to have antibiotics for those conditions.

"It makes no difference to making the infection better, but you'll get resistant bacteria in your nose and your throat, so if you get sick a few weeks later and develop (for instance) pneumonia, the antibiotics may not work."