What are the harmful effects of antibiotics?
Each course of antibiotic given to a child can make future infections more difficult to treat. The result is an increase in the use of a larger range of – and generally more expensive – antibiotics. In addition, the benefit of antibiotics for AOM is small on average, and must be balanced against potential harm of therapy. About 15 percent of children who take antibiotics suffer from diarrhea or vomiting and up to 5 percent have allergic reactions, which can be serious or life threatening. The average preschooler carries around 1 to 2 pounds of bacteria – about 5 percent of his or her body weight. These bacteria have 3.5 billion years of experience in resisting and surviving environmental challenges. Resistant bacteria in a child can be passed to siblings, other family members, neighbors, and peers in group-care or school settings.
Related Questions
- Does the tree or fruit contain antibiotics? Are these harmful to people or animals eating the fruit or leaves?
- Since antibiotics are not used, how can I be sure my organic chicken is healthy and free of harmful bacteria?
- Since antibiotics are not used, how can I be sure ROSIE is healthy and free of harmful bacteria?
