ANTIBIOTICS & YOUR BABY

Antibiotics kill disease, but sort of like a machine gun spraying bullets rather than a sniper taking careful aim. Here’s how to minimise collateral damage

You might hear your allnatural, all-organic mom friend exclaim, “Antibiotics are overprescribed!” And you know what? Your doctor will agree. This is one of the few instances where those who trust science and those who view the pharmaceutical industry with suspicion are of a mind.

Don’t get us wrong, antibiotics are an amazing invention and they have saved the lives of countless humans ever since Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928. It’s just that we are using our new-ish power irresponsibly.

Antibacterial drugs (what we in South Africa generally call antibiotics) are specifically used to treat bacterial infections and they work by either penetrating the bacterium’s cell wall and destroying it, or by stopping the bacteria from replicating. There are other kinds of antimicrobial drugs (drugs which kill specific bad guys) too, such as antifungals, antivirals and antiparasitic drugs. These target and kill fungi, viruses, and parasites, respectively. They tend not to be as overused as antibiotics (antibacterials).

WHAT IS A BACTERIUM?

Bacteria are single-cell organisms that live on our skin, mouths and throats and in our digestive systems. We probably have one hundred thousand billion bacteria on our bodies right now – and some are there doing good work, like helping us digest food, for instance. Others are harmful and can cause ear infections, sore throats or bladder infections in children.

If a baby or child has an uncontrolled infection in the body, it means the bacteria are multiplying faster than the child’s immune system (and her own antibodies) can kill them. This can be dangerous – and was a leading cause of death before we had antibiotics. If a wound turned septic and the person’s system was overwhelmed by the onslaught of infection, the person could die. These days antibiotics would routinely – and justifiably – be given in such a case.

If a young baby has a cold or flu virus, her body would start producing antibodies to fight off the bad intruder cells. But if the battle between virus and antibody in her body was long and hard, bacteria could get a foot in edgeways – on her raw, sore throat, or via something infected (such as stool or saliva) entering her digestive system via the mouth. The child might contract a secondary bacterial infection in addition to the virus racking her system, and if the doctor suspects this to be the case, it is also correct to prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

But how can you tell which type of illness your child has, and whether she would benefit from antibiotics – and ones targeting which specific bacteria? Without a laboratory blood, stool or urine test, which can take days to yield a result, it’s hard to know. And it’s tempting to beg a course of antibiotics off your doctor when you’re watching your child suffer. What’s the harm, right?

Well, as it turns out, plenty.

DANGERS OF OVERPRESCRIPTION ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Shortly after penicillin became commonly used, doctors noticed that it failed to kill certain strains of staphylococcus aureus (which causes skin infections). Bacteria that survive a course of antibiotics can mutate to become resistant, or acquire resistance from other bacteria, leaving healthcare workers with fewer drug options with which to treat patients. You may have heard the term “hospital superbug” – these, such as MRSA or multidrug-resistant TB, are strains of bacteria that are commonly found in hospitals and that are resistant to many different antibiotics.