{"id":14863,"date":"2019-02-27T13:23:06Z","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T12:23:06Z","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/antibiotics-and-children\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T16:10:23Z","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T15:10:23Z","slug":"antibiotics-and-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/antibiotics-and-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Antibiotics and children"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"14863\" class=\"elementor elementor-14863\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74ba114 obcs none e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"74ba114\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a9787a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2a9787a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Many parents experience mixed emotions when a paediatrician prescribes<strong> antibiotics<\/strong> for their child. While they naturally want the best for their little ones, concerns about potential<strong> side effects<\/strong> are valid. However, many parents may not be fully informed about when antibiotics are necessary and <strong>how they affect the body<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c2608f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c2608f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">When Are Antibiotics Necessary?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab9f19e obcs none e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ab9f19e\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eab0a2c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eab0a2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Parents often seek fast-acting medication when their child is unwell. As a result, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/avoid-antibiotic-side-effects\/\">antibiotics<\/a> are frequently prescribed, even when they may not be effective<\/strong>. It is crucial to understand that <strong>antibiotics only work against bacterial infections<\/strong>. However, most common childhood illnesses, such as colds and flu, are <strong>caused by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/gut-health-connections\/immune-system\/\">viruses<\/a><\/strong>, rendering antibiotics ineffective.<\/p><p>Despite this, studies show that children aged 3 to 6 are prescribed antibiotics more often than adults, even though these medications can have significant effects on young bodies.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-18ea62d obcs none e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"18ea62d\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ce3833 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1ce3833\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Bacterial vs. Viral Infections: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5163b0a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5163b0a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-1024x307.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-19597\" alt=\"does my child need antibiotics\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-768x230.png 768w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-1536x461.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-2048x614.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/does-my-child-need-antibiotics-1920x576.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fcdba8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0fcdba8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Certain conditions, such as upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and tonsillitis, are often caused by bacteria. However, even in these cases, <strong>antibiotic treatment is not always necessary<\/strong>. A CRP rapid test, which requires just a small finger prick, can help determine whether an infection is bacterial. This test measures C-reactive protein levels, which increase during <strong>bacterial infections<\/strong>.<\/p><h3 data-pm-slice=\"1 3 []\">Important Considerations When Using Antibiotics<\/h3><p>If antibiotics are required, there are several factors parents should be aware of:<\/p><ul data-spread=\"false\"><li><p><strong>Correct Dosage:<\/strong> The dosage is based on the child&#8217;s weight, and doctors must adhere to precise calculations.<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Timing Matters:<\/strong> Some antibiotics should be taken on an empty stomach, while others need to be consumed with food. Following the doctor\u2019s or pharmacist\u2019s advice is essential for effectiveness.<\/p><\/li><li><p><strong>Side Effects:<\/strong> Antibiotics not only <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/medication-and-gut-health\/\"><strong>eliminate harmful bacteria<\/strong><\/a> but can also disrupt beneficial gut bacteria. This is particularly concerning for young children, as their gut flora is still developing. Disruptions can increase the risk of chronic digestive issues, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/gut-allergies\/\">allergies<\/a> (such as asthma), and skin conditions like eczema.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df2f571 obcs none e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"df2f571\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d7eb46a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d7eb46a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Supporting Recovery and Gut Health<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-584890a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"584890a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-1024x307.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-19595\" alt=\"gut health child on antibiotics side effects\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-768x230.png 768w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-1536x461.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-2048x614.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-stomach-ache-on-antibiotics-1920x576.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2280555 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2280555\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">To aid recovery, children should get plenty of rest, sleep, and <strong>a balanced, nutrient-rich diet<\/strong>. Importantly, parents should ensure that the <strong>full course of antibiotics is completed, even if symptoms improve early<\/strong>. Stopping too soon increases the risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/increased-use-of-antibiotics-leads-to-dangerous-resistances\/\"><strong>antibiotic-resistant bacteria<\/strong><\/a> developing.<\/p><p><strong>The gut microbiome<\/strong> plays a crucial role in overall health, including mental well-being. Studies indicate that probiotics targeting the <strong>gut-brain axis<\/strong> can help reduce stress-related symptoms such as fatigue and mental exhaustion. <strong>Medically relevant probiotics<\/strong> can<strong> support children<\/strong> during challenging times, enhancing resilience and <strong>overall health<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60a2367 obcs none e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"60a2367\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-451ff2b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"451ff2b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How to Protect the Gut During and After Antibiotics<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6223ee8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6223ee8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-1024x307.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-19592\" alt=\"gut microbiome antibiotics\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-1024x307.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-300x90.png 300w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-768x230.png 768w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-1536x461.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-2048x614.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/antibiotics-child-gut-health-1920x576.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49a938d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"49a938d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">Although children often recover quickly from infections, <strong>antibiotics can cause lasting damage to their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/gut-health\/centre-of-health-gut\/gutflora\/\">gut flora<\/a><\/strong>. To counteract this, <strong>parents should consider giving their child probiotics during and after antibiotic treatment<\/strong>. These beneficial bacteria help <strong>restore gut health<\/strong> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/the-immune-system-and-its-importance-for-the-intestines\/\"><strong>strengthen the immune system<\/strong><\/a>, ensuring a quicker and more balanced recovery.<\/p><p>By understanding the role of <strong>antibiotics<\/strong> and their impact, parents can make informed decisions and <strong>support their child\u2019s health more effectively<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Parents should be aware that while antibiotics are essential for bacterial infections, they are ineffective against viral illnesses, can disrupt gut health, and should be used cautiously with the support of probiotics for recovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family"],"acf":[],"rank_math":{"og:title":"Antibiotics and children - OMNi-BiOTiC\u00ae","og:desc":"Child been prescribed antibiotics? Children on antibiotics again? What are the side effects and how can you support your child's gut health?","og:url":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/blog\/antibiotics-and-children\/","og:locale":"en_GB","og:image":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-on-antibiotics-side-effects.png","og:image:width":"2000","og:image:height":"2000"},"additional_data":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/child-on-antibiotics-side-effects.png"},"blog_info":{"country":"en-uk"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14863"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19615,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14863\/revisions\/19615"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omni-biotic.com\/en-uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}