Babies are prone to bacterial infection and antibiotics might be given to them if prescribed by the doctor. However, a new study says that babies who are given antibiotics are more prone to obesity when they get older.
The study was led by microbiologist Martin Blaser at New York University, Parenting.com reports. The study says that giving antibiotics to babies might cause damage to different types of good bacteria in their digestive tract, which might increase the babies' risk for obesity later in life.
Blaser also believes that the link between giving antibiotics to babies and obesity later in life is at its strongest between six-months-old and three-years-old. He conducted the study on mice and found out that those who were given penicillin had 25 percent more weight gain later in life.
"It also appeared to worsen the effects of a high-fat diet, and males were affected more than females," Parenting.com adds. Should parents give their sick babies antibiotics based on this study? "Antibiotics in children or newborns should be given on the basis of clinical needs, whereas the usual advice about lifestyle remains the most important means to tackle obesity," Glasgow University professor Naveed Sattar explains.
However, he also noted that doctors should probably wait a day or two before prescribing antibiotics to kids in order to avoid the unintended effects as much as possible. There are several things that parents should always remember when giving antibiotics to babies or kids.
One thing to be reminded of is that antibiotics can only destroy bacteria and not viruses, according to What To Expect. Therefore, antibiotics should not be given to kids with the common cold; flu; croup; fifth disease; and hand, foot and mouth disease because these ailments are caused by a virus.
When is giving antibiotics to babies or kids prescribed? Babies suffering from strep throat, ear infection, impetigo, bacterial skin infection, bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infection and bladder infection might be prescribed with antibiotics because these diseases are caused by bacterial infection.
