One study suggested that Tennessee’s children have been prescribed antibiotics for illnesses that don’t necessarily require them.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — When your child gets sick, you might want a doctor to give them an antibiotic. However, some health officials have said that may not be the best case-scenario. One study suggested that Tennessee’s young people have been overprescribed.
Doctors use antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, but new research showed that more than two thirds of the time, children are getting a prescription that does not follow guidelines. Tennessee’s Department of Health and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) helped with the research.
Researchers studied the treatment of nearly half a million children in the state. They found 39 percent of antibiotic prescriptions were for illnesses that rarely require one.
“We have more work ahead of us. That involves not only the medical professionals, but also our patients,” Dr. William Shaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at VUMC. said. “If you’re taking antibiotics and they’re not necessary, you subject yourself only to the adverse side effects. As we over-use antibiotics, the germs we’re trying to kill actually develop resistance. The antibiotics won’t work anymore because these germs mutate in a way to evade our antibiotics. And that means going into the future, we’ll have fewer antibiotics available to use when we really need to use them.”
Alternatives to antibiotics are top of mind at Sanctuary Functional Medicine in Franklin.
“If you have 104 [degree] fever and raging pneumonia, antibiotics are very appropriate,” the practice’s medical director, Eric Potter, said. “However, we will try to limit those antibiotic uses to only those that are absolutely necessary.”
Potter added that their clinic looks at ways to support the immune system and help the body recover naturally.
“We’re going to be doing things that are going to cover oh, if they have a virus in their nose, if they have virus in their lungs, things that are going to support their immune system for 20 different viruses or 20 different bacteria,” Potter told News 2.
News 2 also spoke with staff at Nurture Pediatrics in Smyrna who said that they also see more antibiotics being prescribed to children. Health officials sent News 2 a statement that reads in part:
“Viral illnesses are the cause for the majority of visits to pediatric providers, whether it be to their pediatric home or to urgent cares and emergency rooms. Often, in urgent care settings the patients are not known and will receive antibiotics unnecessarily in order to cover a “what if” scenario. They cannot guarantee follow up and are often concerned that if the patient were to develop a secondary bacterial infection, they would not return to get the help they need. In a pediatric home where they are known, antibiotics are rarely prescribed unnecessarily because of a better knowledge of their clinical history and established relationships with parents. We can insure better follow up care.
Our providers encourage parents to be active partners in the continuous process of treatment. When parents ask questions, understand appropriate use of antibiotics, and trust the provider, this helps avoid unnecessary prescriptions. Viral infections do not respond to antibiotics, and choosing supportive care is the best method of treatment. Education from a trusted provider often reassures parents that the recommendation is a n appropriate one. Our goal is not only to treat illnesses effectively but also to safeguard your child’s long-term health by ensuring antibiotics are used appropriately. Together, with open communication and education, we can work toward the best possible outcomes for your child.“