Antibiotics: A Cause of Asthma?

Asthma affects 12 percent of children in the United States, making it the most common chronic childhood illness.

It has been previously known that exposure to tobacco smoke as well as respiratory infections and nasal allergies are risk factors in causing asthma, but it has only just recently been discovered that antibiotics taken within the first year of life may also be to blame.

The recent study, published in Pediatrics medical journal, evaluated over 250,000 infants during their first 12 months of life and the potential correlation of the development of asthma during their first two years. The results were adjusted to eliminate other possible factors, defining an independent association between antibiotic use and asthma. The results showed a small risk that increased with the amount of antibiotics prescribed, the highest risk being among those treated with four or more courses during the first year.

As well as possibly causing asthma, antibiotics taken in early life can reduce their effectiveness over time. They also come with a list of potential side effects from minor to life threatening. Be cautious when giving your child antibiotics and always ask your doctor any questions you have regarding their use.