Paediatrician warns against children’s early exposure to antibiotics

Citing the risks of early exposure, a Professor of Paediatrics at the College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Aisha Gobir, said healthcare workers should only prescribe antibiotics to children when absolutely necessary.

She noted that antibiotics exposure in children under five had been associated with chronic conditions while warning against irrational use.

Prof. Gobir, who is also a Consultant Paediatrician specialising in pulmonology, infectious diseases, and adolescent health, gave this warning during an interview with PUNCH Healthwise, noting that many organisms are becoming resistant to common antibiotics because of irrational use.

He, “The basic understanding is that the body is colonized by microbes that are not harmful, but rather useful in helping us develop immunity and fight against inflammatory and allergic diseases.

“The useful microbes reside in the mouth, upper respiratory tract, bowel, and skin.

“Early exposure to antibiotics alters the natural microbes population and has been associated with inflammatory and allergic diseases.

“In addition to the normal flora, early exposure to infections is also thought to aid the development of the immune system.

“This is known as the hygiene hypothesis in medicine. The association is not completely understood. That’s a simple position.”

The paediatrician stated that the increasing prevalence of health conditions that start in childhood has triggered concerns about antibiotic exposures during key developmental periods because of their impact on the microbiome.

“All healthcare workers must think seriously before prescribing antibiotics to children. The risks must be weighed and benefits must be huge before such a decision is made.

“All antibiotics used must be rationally deployed and given for the most appropriate duration for the condition,” she advised.

Prof. Gobir further said parents must be aware of the risks of over-the-counter purchase of antibiotics and should be discouraged from such.

“The sad news now is that many organisms are becoming resistant to common antibiotics because of irrational use.

“Adding this to the risk of chronic diseases means that we all must exercise restraint before using antibiotics in children, especially infants”, the paediatrician said.

In a 2020 study published in ScienceDaily titled, ‘Antibiotic exposure in children under age 2 was associated with chronic conditions’, the researchers said children under the age of two who take antibiotics are at greater risk for childhood-onset asthma, respiratory allergies, eczema, celiac disease, obesity, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The researchers said the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the composition of the microbiome — the trillions of beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies — plays a critical role in the early development of immunity, metabolism, and behaviour.

Co-author of the study and Director of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University, Martin Blaser, said, “The evolution of drug-resistant bacteria exemplifies one unintended consequence of antibiotic overuse.

“The increasing prevalence of health conditions that start in childhood has triggered concern about antibiotic exposures during key developmental periods because of their impact on the microbiome.

“While previous studies have looked at the association of antibiotics with single diseases, this is the first to look at the association across many diseases.

“The study found that antibiotics were associated with metabolic diseases (obesity, being overweight), immunological diseases (asthma, food allergies, hay fever and cognitive conditions or disorders (ADHD, autism), but effects varied among the different antibiotics.”

The researchers also found that risk increased with more courses of antibiotics and when given earlier in life, especially within the first six months.