Antibiotics cause food allergies to children
(Mirror Daily, United States) Antibiotics, or antibacterials, are not recommended for children. This is a piece of advice coming from doctors. Although it may be hard for parents to see their children in pain, it seems like other means of treating them are more adequate. New research documents on the negative effects of antibiotics administered to children at an early age.
A new study was carried out by specialists at the University of South Carolina. The study points out that antibiotics administered to children under one year of age can cause them food allergies.
The researchers at the University of South Carolina investigated the cases of more than six thousand children. Some of them had food allergies, and some of them didn’t. The results pointed out the fact that children who were treated with antibiotics had 1.21 chances to develop food allergies.
Researchers were very careful while analyzing the data. They took into consideration factors such as the child’s current age and the mother’s age, breastfeeding, race, and residence, among others.
Statistics show that antibiotics are prescribed to children aged two months in the United States. Cephalosporin and sulfonamide were detected as two of the riskiest substances which can trigger food allergies at an early age.
The new study addresses parents, doctors, and health providers alike.
The leader of the team of researchers at the University of South Carolina is doctor Bryan Love. He is aware of the fact that more elaborate studies should determine which of the ill children really need antibiotics. Excessive use of medicine doesn’t only determine the organism to get used to the drug, but also can have other long-term effects, like triggering food allergies later in life.
Researchers were not able to identify the exact relation between how the medicine works and the later developed food allergies. They think that the process has to do with damaging the gut flora.
Previous studies documented the negative effects of antibiotics too. According to them, the drugs were responsible for obesity in children, or even for the developing of respiratory diseases, such as asthma.
Parenting can be difficult, but one of the most important things is to take care of your child’s health. Further studies will investigate the issue. Researchers hope to come up with solutions of properly diagnosing children, as well as alternative solutions to antibiotics.
Image courtesy of: Flickr
John Birks
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