http://www.healthcentral.com/PrintFormat/PrintFullText.cfm?id=45531
 
Antibiotics For Babies Linked To Asthma Later In Life

December 06, 2000

You have heard me say that a kid who is no stranger to a bit of grime is less prone to asthma and allergies than an overly clean kid. The theory is that the Western lifestyle overdoes it on hygiene, preventing a kid's immune system from getting into shape by not giving it a chance to fight off some germs now and then.

This theory prompted a group of doctors to take a look at the prevalence of asthma and allergies among kids who used a lot of antibiotics early in life. They hypothesized that antibiotic use would be associated with a low infection rate and an increase in allergies.

They investigated close to 2000 seven and eight year old children. The kids were given skin prick tests and the prevalence of asthma, allergies and use of antibiotics in early life was compared.

Bingo! "The use of antibiotics in the first year of life was significantly associated with asthma, hay fever and eczema." The authors concluded that the use of antibiotics increased a child's risk of asthma and allergies, which is consistent with our ever-growing understanding of how the immune system works.

This is one more piece of evidence that, as we have suspected, our children are over-treated.

Source: Clinical & Experimental Allergy 30 (11)
 
Copyright© 1994-2000 HealthCentral.com. All rights reserved.

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.