When Emma experienced her first ear infection at 18 months, the doctor prescribed her antibiotics. At that time, it seemed quite innocent—just one more common prescription to treat a minor ailment. Some years later, Emma was identified with childhood asthma, and new research suggests that her early treatment may have been much more significant than anyone realized initially.
A study of children’s health, done by Rutgers University, found that early exposure (prior to the age of two) to antibiotics put children at much greater risk of subsequent development of hay fever, food allergies, and childhood asthma. This study is one of the largest and most in-depth studies of this phenomenon. Researchers explored the medical records of more than a million children from the United Kingdom and the results were published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Daniel Horton, assistant professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Rutgers University and the principal researcher for the study, suggested alertness, but not reacting in excess. “Antibiotics are very important, and sometimes, life-saving medications,” added Horton.”However, in young children, not all infections require antibiotic therapy.”
What makes this study unique is the size and design. The researchers took not only a large cohort of youth but also compared siblings – some of whom were given antibiotics early in life and some were not. Because genetics and environmental factors are similar for siblings, this sibling study also yielded researchers very unique insights into the implications of early antibiotic use.
Why could this be happening? Experts pinpoint the culprit as the microbiome—group of beneficial bacteria that inhabit our bodies and are critical for immunological development. Broad-spectrum antibiotics kill bacteria—even beneficial microorganisms. Because children’s immune systems are still developing the potential impairment from this microbiome disruption could have lasting effects.
It’s also intriguing to note that the study did not unequivocally link the onset of diseases like celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, or autism to the usage of antibiotics at a young age. Regarding allergies and asthma, the association persisted even after controlling for other variables.
Above all, the overprescription of antibiotics remains a major problem. According to a 2020 study, one in four hospitalized kids who were given antibiotics probably didn’t need them. In addition to causing antibiotic resistance, this abuse raises the risk of long-term conditions such childhood asthma.
What should parents take away from this?
“Ask your child’s physician if antibiotics are absolutely necessary and look into other alternatives,” said Horton. “We’re saying use antibiotics judiciously, not never.”
One important point as researchers continue to explore the long-lasting effects of antibiotics: being careful today may mean that children’s health is better tomorrow.
