Antibiotics Triggers Asthma Risks in Infants

Prescribing germ killer drugs or antibiotics in infants before the age of six months turned out to invite risks. A U.S. study says, infants who received antibiotics have 70 percent higher risk of suffering from asthma in childhood.

Researchers at Yale University indicated that infants will face increased risk of asthma by 40 percent when if antibiotics have been prescribed for treatment once in the early months of his birth. The risk will increase to 70 percent if they have been prescribed the second time to treat infections that are difficult to cure.

This review by scientists is a series of recent discoveries in medicine science related to asthma in children. The experts’ opinions are divided on the impact of this antibiotic. Some doubts whether antibiotics are a cause, or whether infants who were included in the study already had asthma talent.

However, in a recent report that will be published the American Journal of Epidemiology, scientists concluded that the relationship is indeed strong. Even after considering other factors such as history of asthma in the family.
In their research, scientists at Yale University monitored 1,400 children to see if prescribing antibiotics at an early age leads to higher cases of asthma at age six.

Children who were included were those who were prescribed antibiotics before the age of six months for the problem of infection outside of the chest infection which is identical to the symptoms of asthma. Participants also included children who were born from parents with no history of asthma.

The result showed a large increase in risk of bronchial asthma in children who were given antibiotics before the age of six months even though they had no history of asthma.
“Using antibiotics, especially in a broad spectrum, can alter the intestinal microbial flora in children. It has caused an imbalance in the immune system and cause a bad allergic response,” said Dr. Kari Risnes, leader of the research, according to the Dailymail.

Risnes expect the results of this research becomes special motivation for physicians to avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics, especially in low-risk children.