Antibiotic resistance increases in children – Deutsche Welle – 11/16/2023

When children have bacterial illnesses, such as ear infections, sepsis, or meningitis, they are often given antibiotics. However, less than 50% of antibiotics are effective, according to Australian research led by the University of Sydney.

November 18th is European Day for the Cautious Use of Antibiotics, a day when we once again talk about the growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics. In the absence of new effective drugs, this is particularly dangerous for infants and children, whose immune systems are not fully developed and cannot adequately defend against invading pathogens.

When prescribing antibiotics, not only the exact choice of drug is important, but also the dose taken. This is often difficult when antibiotics are given in syrup form, as is most common in infants and young children.

Antibiotics are not always necessary

If it’s a serious bacterial infection, such as a strep infection of the urinary tract or respiratory tract, antibiotics will inhibit the growth and reproduction of the bacteria or kill them. They act quickly, usually within 24 to 48 hours.

An infection that many babies and children suffer from is otitis media. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that it is a common and widespread health disorder among children around the world.

Are there any other options?

According to experts, there is no reliable alternative. For certain infectious diseases, herbs with antibacterial properties can be used. In the case of respiratory infections, saline solutions can relieve symptoms to some extent; for otitis media infections, a classic home remedy is to put onion slices in a sock or cloth bag.

However, antibiotics are the most reliable solution, for example, in cases of sepsis, which must be treated immediately. In the worst-case scenario, there is a risk of septic shock, organ failure and, unfortunately, death.

Sepsis occurs when an external wound becomes infected and pathogens can spread throughout the body through the bloodstream, rapidly worsening the patient’s condition. This is not something that happens often.

1. Correct diagnosis

The most important thing is to make a correct diagnosis and know whether the discomfort is caused by a virus or bacteria. Only bacterial diseases are treated with antibiotics.

The situation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific is very serious. Thousands of children die every year in Indonesia and the Philippines because they do not have the antibiotics available in Europe or because they are ineffective.

Therefore, correct diagnosis is particularly important. The pathogen should be identified, tested for antibiotic susceptibility, and then given the weakest broad-spectrum antibiotic. To be precise, antibiotic resistance has increased around the world over the past 15 years, and it still takes a while for new antibiotics to become available.

(effective frequency/ms)