A new study on antibiotics showed that children who are given the medication to quickly cure their ailments could face a variety of illnesses later.
The study revealed that antibiotics administered to children younger than two can lead to several ongoing illnesses or conditions, ranging from allergies to asthma.
The findings of the study were published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The findings suggested that the gender of the child, the number of doses, age of the child, type of medication also accounts for different effects.
Study shows association
“We want to emphasise that this study shows an association, not causation, of these conditions,” said author Nathan LeBrasseur, a researcher at Mayo Clinic’s Center.
Also read: Kids up to 4 are main victims of antibiotics over-prescription
For the study, researchers examined around 14,500 children. Out of which, about 70 per cent of these children confirmed have received at least one treatment with antibiotics for illness before age 2.
The findings further indicated that children receiving multiple antibiotic treatments were more susceptible to multiple illnesses or conditions later in childhood.
The researchers mentioned that the 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.
Some of the conditions associated with the early use of antibiotics included asthma, allergic rhinitis, weight issues and obesity, food allergies, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, celiac disease, and atopic dermatitis.