These drugs should not be used recklessly, as they are only effective against bacterial infections. Doctor Seminara’s advice
More than 33 thousand deaths have been caused byantibiotic resistance, recorded in Italy in 2020. Worrying numbers and the increase in this phenomenon should therefore not be underestimated. Two categories of people use these drugs the most: the elderly and children. Especially in the little ones they should be administered only when it is really necessary, as reckless use can cause damage to both the individual and the community.
antibiotic resistance
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Antibiotic resistance occurs when a drug of this class is used to fight infections caused by bacteria, loses its effectiveness when a bacterium that is usually sensitive to it is no longer sensitive and, therefore, cannot be eradicated. This is a natural phenomenon, according to which Resistant germs tend to survive and proliferate to antibiotics. This is favored by the increase in prescriptions of these drugs, which are not always justified. “Antibiotic resistance also poses practical problems in children, because if the drugs normally used to fight bacterial infections do not give results, often all that can be done is increase the doses or, in extreme cases, prescribe one off-labelchoosing for example from those intended for adults” explains the Dr. Manuela Seminara, pediatrician at the San Pietro Polyclinic in Ponte San Pietro (BG) and at the Smart Clinic Orio Center in Bergamo. At the same time, the effectiveness of other active ingredients can be tested, but scientific research takes a long time and pediatric studies are not so numerous.
how to use antibiotics
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The increase in antibiotic resistance is a trend due to several factors. In the case of children, it is important toparents’ attitude. Although it is understandable to be worried about the health of their children, especially if they are young, mothers and fathers should not turn to the pediatrician asking for a prescription for an antibiotic as soon as a fever appears. In these cases, one is appropriate watchful waiting; these are often viral infections, against which antibiotics have no effect and which often resolve spontaneously. These drugs should only be used when they are essential, as they can have side effects such as: loss of appetite, diarrhea and fatigue. “These medicines modify the intestinal microbiota and, from the first days of life, the alterations of bacterial flora that populates this organ can have negative effects on the immune system and predispose to the development of allergies and obesity” observes Dr. Seminara. One of the most used antibiotics in children and which is losing its effectiveness isamoxicillin. In particular, the bacteria that are developing resistance to this and the other most common antibiotics are the moraxella catarrhalisL’haemophilus influenzaeit pneumococcus and it staphylococcus aureus.
the effects
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However, sometimes the ineffectiveness of an antibiotic can be attributed to one incorrect administration. In fact, there are quite a few parents who, for various reasons, reduce the daily doses or stop the treatment as soon as they notice the first improvements in their children. There are various guidelines that pediatricians must follow when prescribing an antibiotic. For example, in case of ear infection, if the child does not have a fever, a two-day therapy based on an anti-inflammatory is often indicated. Another common problem among children is pharyngotonsillitis; in these circumstances, immediate use of an antibiotic is expected only after a positive throat swab for streptococci. The ineffectiveness of an antibiotic can be attributable to three reasons: in addition to incorrect administration, it can be due either to the presence of resistant bacteria or to the fact that the infection is viral. “We must wait for a possible re-evaluation by the pediatrician at least 48 hours from the start of the treatment. After this time, if the therapy does not bring benefits, the doctor, in addition to evaluating the prescription of instrumental and laboratory tests for further diagnostic analysis, can decide whether to replace the drug used, increase the dose or add another” concludes the doctor Seminar.
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