H1N1 Swine flu: why antibiotics don't work and what to do instead

November 6, 5:14 PMTampa Health Care ExaminerCarolyn Chambers Clark

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Inadequate parental knowledge regarding the need for antibiotics and pressuring the clinician to prescribe them may result in antibiotic overuse, according to the results of a study reported online November 6 in BMC Pediatrics.

"Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents for viral respiratory infections is common, leading to constant increase of bacterial respiratory pathogens," writes Maria Luisa Moro, MD,  "Several determinants of inappropriate prescribing have been reported, including diagnostic uncertainty, lack of knowledge, socio-cultural and economic pressures, fear of litigation, meeting parental expectations, but their importance varies in different environments."


An antibiotic was prescribed for suspected respiratory infections such as colds and flu  in 38% of 4352 pediatric visits. Pediatricians reported that perceived diagnostic uncertainty was the most common cause of inappropriate prescription (56% of 633 pediatricians interviewed).

Parental factors potentially associated with overprescribing included lack of knowledge regarding RTIs and antibiotics, with 41% of 1029 parents indicating that bacteria could be a possible cause for the common cold.

Another parental factor that could lead to antibiotic overprescription was the tendency to seek medical care for trivial infections, in that 48% of 4352 children seen in ambulatory care had only common cold symptoms.

"A wide gap between perceived and real determinants of antibiotic prescription exists," the study authors write. "This can promote antibiotic overuse. Inadequate parental knowledge can also induce inappropriate prescription."

It's only normal for parents to want to help when they see a child ill with flu, but asking for antibiotics is not the answer.

What to do if your child has the flu::

• avoid asking your health care practitioner to prescribe antibiotics for colds or flu; these are caused by viruses and antibiotics don't help and can interrupt important immune processes in your child
• focus on providing nourishing soups and fruits, insuring your children obtain adequate sleep and rest, drink 10 glasses of water a day, and stay home from school and activities when ill

photo:USAgov.com