Consequences of Excessive Antibiotic Use
By Jane Sheppard
Antibiotics have saved many lives over the
past 45 years. We are truly fortunate to have
them available for serious bacterial infections.
Unfortunately, antibiotics are excessively
prescribed, especially to children. The Center
for Disease Control estimates that of the
235 million doses of antibiotics given each
year, between 20 and 50 percent are unnecessary.
Tragically, this overuse of antibiotics can
cause devastating health consequences to children.
Antibiotics for Ear Infections
Antibiotic misuse is most likely to occur
in children with ear infections (otitis media),
the number one reason a child is brought to
a doctor. Antibiotic therapy is the most common
treatment of ear infections, with amoxicillin
being the first choice by doctors. The side
effects of amoxicillin include upset stomach,
diarrhea, allergic reactions, and diaper rashes.
These side effects may seem minor, but are
these antibiotics actually necessary for otitis
media?
The purpose of antibiotics is to kill harmful
bacteria. Otitis media means middle ear inflammation
- not necessarily bacterial infection. Many
cases are caused by allergies, particularly
to milk and dairy products. In a significant
number of cases of otitis media, the middle
ear contains no harmful bacteria. In a Dutch
study of 2,975 children, it was found that
88% of children with acute otitis media did
not need antibiotics. Other studies in the
U.S. and Scandinavia came to similar conclusions.
Antibiotics have been shown to increase the
likelihood of repeat ear infections. One reason
is when a doctor prescribes antibiotics the
underlying cause of the ear infection is usually
ignored and left untreated. For instance,
Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus
is commonly found in the nose and throat.
This bacterium is thought to be responsible
for many cases of ear infections, which is
why antibiotics are prescribed. However, your
child can have pneumococcus and not be sick.
It will only cause trouble if it gets trapped
in the middle ear. Once trapped, the bacteria
can reproduce rapidly and become an infection.
This scenario could be the result of an allergic
reaction to a certain food, which can cause
congestion as well as significant pressure
changes and obstruction to the eustachian
tube. In the case of an allergy induced ear
infection, eliminating the allergen from a
child’s diet or environment will also eliminate
the obstruction, allowing the bacterial fluid
to drain. However, if an allergic child continues
to be exposed to the allergen, repeat ear
infections are likely to occur.
Another cause of ear infection may be an
obstruction to the eustachian tube, due to
misalignment of the bones of the jaw, skull
or neck. Craniosacral work, chiropractic care
or osteopathy would be especially helpful
to release the blockage to allow drainage
of the fluid.
Nutritional deficiencies or a weakened immune
system can also be factors leading to ear
infections. Treating the child with antibiotics
without correcting the cause will likely create
a continuing cycle of repeat ear infections.
Many children are dealing with this. A typical
scenario is the child is diagnosed with acute
otitis media and antibiotics are prescribed
(whether a bacterial infection is present
or not). The symptoms disappear in about a
week or two, but return again in the near
future, since the original cause was not addressed.
The child goes back to the doctor for more
antibiotics. The cycle continues. Some children
spend months or even years on antibiotics,
with recurring ear infections. Research has
shown that when antibiotics are used at the
beginning of an ear infection, the frequency
of recurrence may be almost three times greater
than if antibiotics are delayed or not used.
Antibiotics Don't Discriminate
Antibiotics do not just go after the pathogenic
or “bad” bacteria. They also indiscriminately
destroy the beneficial bacteria necessary
and vital to good health. Among the more important
beneficial bacteria are lactobacillus acidophilus
and bifidobacterium bifidus. They help protect
the body against infection. Depleting these
organisms can disrupt the balance of the body,
suppress immunity, and lead to increased susceptibility
to infections by fungi, bacteria, viruses
and parasites. Additionally, when antibiotics
are used excessively, depleting the beneficial
bacteria, there may be an overgrowth of yeast
in the body. A yeast infection can suppress
immunity, which may lead to recurrent infections.
What's more, antibiotics adversely affect
many nutrients, particularly the ones needed
by the immune system to fight infection, such
as vitamins A and C. One of the most common
side effects of antibiotics is diarrhea. This
causes a loss of nutrients, especially magnesium
and zinc. Some children are on antibiotics
for months or even years. Nutritional loss
over such a long period of time is debilitating
for the body and sets up an environment for
more infections.
Serious Infectious Diseases
Resistant to Antibiotics
A very frightening consequence of indiscriminate
use of antibiotics is the development of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria. These bacteria have “learned” to
outsmart the drugs and have reproduced a generation
of stronger, more resistant bugs. Consequently,
there are some serious infectious diseases
that are no longer responding to antibiotics.
If an infection does respond, it often requires
five to ten times the amount of the drug that
used to be effective.
When your child is continually treated with
antibiotics, the bacteria in his or her body
may eventually be able to survive the drugs,
making it much harder to cure an infection.
In the event of a serious bacterial infection,
such as meningitis, a much higher dosage of
antibiotic may be required or a doctor may
have to try different drugs before finding
one that will work. The time this takes can
potentially be a matter of life or death,
since meningitis can be fatal and needs to
be treated immediately. Unfortunately, with
each try at a different treatment, the bacteria
are given another chance to build up their
resistance against even more powerful drugs.
Antibiotic resistance can affect the whole
family and everyone around the child with
a history of frequent antibiotic use. If the
child develops resistant bacteria, he or she
can pass them along to others through coughing,
sneezing, and kissing.
What Else is Your Child
Ingesting with the Antibiotic?
Sweeteners, dyes, flavorings, and other unnamed
additives are found in antibiotics prescribed
to children. These may include saccharin,
sucrose, red dye #40, FD & C yellow #5
and #6. These dyes are cross-reactive with
aspirin and acetaminophen, which are commonly
given to a child during an illness. Even tiny
amounts of the chemical additives in antibiotics
can cause an allergic reaction in a sensitive
child. It’s important to always get a full
disclosure of the contents of the drug being
considered if your child has allergies or
environmental sensitivity. Ask the pharmacist
for the insert that comes with the medication.
Treat Colds and Flu with
Antibiotics?
A truly disturbing practice is the prescribing
of antibiotics by some doctors to treat colds,
coughs, runny noses or flu. Most upper respiratory
infections are viral. Treating them with antibiotics
is clear and blatant misuse, since the drugs
kill only bacteria and are of no value at
all in treating viral infections. There are
treatments that can relieve the symptoms
of a cold, but there is no drug (over-the-counter
or prescription) that will cure a cold.
Save Antibiotics for the
Serious Infections
In the book Beyond
Antibiotics: 50 Ways to Boost Immunity and
Avoid Antibiotics, Drs. Schmidt, Smith
and Sehnert suggest that you ask your doctor
the following questions when antibiotics are
being prescribed. It is good to get all the
answers you can before making a decision.
Are you sure it is bacterial?
Are you sure it is the right antibiotic?
Should a culture be performed?
Are there alternatives to antibiotics?
What are the risks if we don’t use them?
What are the risks if we wait one or two
or four days?
Are there dietary or nutritional factors
that need consideration?
Should vitamins be prescribed along with
the antibiotic?
Should probiotic supplements be given to
minimize the intestinal effect of the antibiotic?
Have you considered or investigated the role
of food allergy?
If your doctor is not willing to explore
these questions, you are justified in getting
another opinion. There are many doctors who
will
be your health partner and explore these issues
with you.
Antibiotics may be absolutely necessary in
certain situations, such as a life-threatening
infection or when serious complications are
present. For instance, if your child has symptoms
of bacterial meningitis, there is no time
to waste. He or she should be taken immediately
to a doctor for antibiotics. We are very fortunate
to have antibiotics for appropriate situations.
However, antibiotics should be used in conjunction
with methods that strengthen the immune system,
and the depleted beneficial bacteria should
always be replaced. Most importantly, the
cause of the infection needs to be addressed
for true healing to take place.
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