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Information for Parents

How parents can help decrease antibiotic resistance.

  • Parent pressure makes a difference. For pediatric care, a recent study showed that doctors prescribe antibiotics 65% of the time if they perceive parents expect them; and 12% of the time if they feel parents do not expect them. (Center for Disease Control, 2006)
  • Parents should not demand antibiotics when a health care provider has determined they are not needed.
  • Parents should talk with their health care provider about antibiotic resistance.
  • Parents should not give their children antibiotics for a viral infection like a cold, a cough, or the flu. Antibiotics should be used only to treat bacterial infections.
  • Parents should ensure that their children take all medication as prescribed, even if symptoms disappear. If treatment stops too soon, some bacteria may survive and re-infect.

A Prescription for Parents: Six Hints to Understanding Antibiotic Usage

When are antibiotics neccessary?
Your doctor can best answer this complicated question and the answer depends on the diagnosis. Here are a few examples:

  1. Ear infections : There are several types; many need antibiotics, but some do not.
  2. Runny nose or sinus infections : Most children with thick or green mucus do not have sinus infections and therefore do not require antibiotics. Antibiotics are needed for some long-lasting or severe cases.
  3. Coughs or bronchitis : Children rarely need antibiotics for bronchitis.
  4. Sore throat : Viruses cause most cases. Only one major kind, "strep throat," requires antibiotics. This condition must be diagnosed by a laboratory test.
  5. Colds: Colds are caused by viruses and may last for two weeks or longer. Antibiotics have no effect on colds, but your doctor may have suggestions for obtaining comfort while the illness runs its course.
  6. Flu : Influenza is caused by viruses and therefore antibiotics will not help

It is worth noting that viral infections sometimes lead to bacterial infections. But treating viral infections with antibiotics will not prevent bacterial infections and may trigger infections with resistant bacteria. Keep your doctor informed if the illness gets worse, or lasts a long time, so that the proper treatment can be given as needed.

The information on this page is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .