Children & Unnecessary Antibiotics
In the March 18, 1998 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) was an article entitled Antibiotic Prescribing for Children with
Colds, Upper Respiratory Infections, and Bronchitis. The article talks about the
prevalent usage of antibiotics in children with problems coming from viruses. As all
doctors know, antibiotics are not designed or effective in viral infections such as many
upper respiratory infections (URI's), bronchitis or colds.
In the study sited in the report in JAMA, 531 pediatric files were
reviewed whose diagnosis was either colds, URI, or bronchitis. Of these it was determined
that 44% of those with colds got a worthless and possibly harmful antibiotic. Of those
with URI's 46% were determined to have gotten antibiotics they didn't also need. And in
those diagnoses with bronchitis an astounding 75% received an antibiotic even though
antibiotics would be totally ineffective and possibly harmful.
According to the article's bottom line: "Antibiotic prescribing
for children diagnosed as having colds, URI's and bronchitis, conditions that typically do
not benefit from antibiotics, represent a substantial proportion of total antibiotic
prescriptions to children in the United States each year."
Many medical physicians admit that patients expect and even demand
antibiotic usage on their children with these types of problems. Doctors have lost
patients from their practice when they have refused to administer antibiotics to a parent
who mistakenly believes that form of care is needed.
|