As a parent, I generally don’t overreact to small cuts and bruises and I’m not an alarmist when it comes to most ailments and injuries. Quite possibly this is the result of  my status as a mom of three boys who are constantly bruised and sniffling. We don’t rush to the doctor for coughs and many times we wait it out to see if the sickness will resolve itself without medication. However, when my kids  have a sore throat combined with a  fever off we go to our local pediatrician.  There is an underlying strategy here, which I am embarrassed to admit, I am hoping that the fever and sore throat are symptoms of strep throat and not a viral infection.  Reason being: strep throat has a quick fix and viruses don’t.  Once strep is confirmed antibiotics are taken and we are virtually guaranteed a healthy child in less than 24 hours. How did I get to this point where I am actually wishing my child has strep?

We expect a prescription when our kids are sick

Since the 1940’s, when antibiotics were first used, humans have developed a growing expectation for an antibiotic prescription when visiting the doctor. When we’re sick we expect and want to be cured by a hearty dose of penicillin or something similar. Antibiotics are perceived to be a “miracle drug”and there is no denying that antibiotics have saved countless lives worldwide.

Antibiotics for humans: are they over-prescribed?

According to well respected pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene:

Up to 60 % of children with common colds are treated with antibiotics (Journal of Family Practice 1996; 42:357–361). Because children average three to eight colds each year, most accompanied by green or yellow runny noses, they can get many, many rounds of unnecessary (and therefore harmful) antibiotics.

There are times when antibiotics are prescribed just to be safe-to make sure that a bacterial infection doesn’t exist although one hasn’t been detected. That’s just feeding the over-use frenzy. Overuse of antibiotics is dangerous-it produces “superbug” bacteria that are  resistant to the drugs and can no longer be destroyed. The World Health Organization has cited antibiotic resistance as one of the three most serious public health threats of the 21st century.

Antibiotics in animal farming: overused and  linked to growing antibiotic-resistance in humans

Antibiotics prescribed to people are just the tip of the superbug problem. On factory-farms, which produce a lot of our meat, the animals are forced to live packed together in awful, filthy conditions. The farmers give antibiotics as a preventative measure-so the animals don’t get sick.

Antibiotics are used far more in the agribusiness industry then they are for human illnesses. According to the Ecologist, in Europe half of all antibiotics are prescribed for animals and in the US that number is even higher, possibly around 70 percent.

There is now evidence out there that strains of resistant bacteria are being transferred to humans through the food chain – putting us at risk for more untreatable infections.

Smart use of antibiotics-what we can do

We are getting hit with antibiotics when we’re sick and we’re also possibly getting a dose of antibiotics from the food that we are eating.

How can we prevent this from happening?

• Pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, has some excellent advice to help cut back on antibiotic over-use:
  • When your child is sick and you  are visiting your pediatrician mention : “If there is any way to safely help her feel better without antibiotics that is what I would prefer.”
• Stop buying soaps, hand wipes and cleaning agents that are advertised to be  “antibacterial”.  Health experts believe that overuse of antibacterial products is promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibacterial treatment.
• Foods that may have antibiotics in them are generally meat products, poultry, fish and game. Only buy meat that is labeled “no antibiotics added” or something similar. This means the producer has demonstrated that the animals were raised without antibiotics and there is no chance that antibiotics will be transferred to you via your food.
• Join Moms for Antibiotic Awareness to learn more about antibiotic overuse and take action.
• Join Healthy Child Healthy World to stay informed.

Do you worry about the overuse of antibiotics?

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[Top photo used under Creative Commons from e-Magine Art/Flickr]

[Cow photo used under Creative Commons from Joost J. Bakker/Flickr]