No Need of Antibiotics When Your Little One has These Illness

Antibiotic is a drugs or medicine used to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics can kill bacteria and prevent their development. Each infection requires different types of antibiotics. Today, there are more than 100 types of antibiotics that can deal with diseases caused by minor infections to diseases caused by severe infections that can be life-threatening. Even so, antibiotics are not a cure for all kinds of diseases.

Threat of Antibiotic Resistance

As mentioned above, antibiotics should only be used in diseases caused by bacterial infections. This type of drug will not be useful if given to treat diseases caused by viruses or fungi. But, the fact that is happening now is that some of Daddies and Mommies consider antibiotics to be the answer to every illness experienced by the Little One.

One reason why antibiotics belong to the class of prescription drugs and not over-the-counter drugs is because it is only through a doctor's examination that we know that the infection is caused by bacteria, not viruses or fungi.

If it is used not in accordance with the rules, then the condition is included in the category of antibiotic abuse. The use of antibiotics that are not according to the doctor's indication and recommendation, of course can cause other effects in the body such as antibiotic resistance, a condition when bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia (AMRIN) in 2000-2005 then conducted a study on 781 patients who were hospitalized and found that 81% of Escherichia coli bacteria were resistant to various types of antibiotics. Among them are ampicillin antibiotics as much as 73%, cotrimoxazole as much as 56%, chloramphenicol as much as 43%, ciprofloxacin as much as 22%, and gentamicin as much as 18%.

It's really worrying. If antibiotic resistance has occurred, it will certainly be difficult to determine adequate treatment options for each disease so that it can cause new problems in the world of health. To prevent the occurrence of antibiotic resistance, Mommy must take part wisely in using drugs for the family.

No Need of Antibiotics

Here are some health problems on your Little One which do not need antibiotics, including:

Cold and cough caused by viral infections

Some diseases that cause symptoms of cough and runny nose, such as cold and influenza, arise as a result of viral infections. This means that your Little One doesn't need antibiotics.

Fever

Fever is part of the body's immune process against infection due to viruses, bacteria, or parasites. However, as long as the cause of the fever is unclear, do not give antibiotics to your Little One. It is enough already to give your Little One a febrifuge.

Cold and cough due to allergic reactions

It is not uncommon for cold and cough on your Little One to be associated with allergic reactions. Especially, if the symptoms appear and disappear, and are prolonged. Mommy needs to find out whether your Little One is experiencing allergies or not. The main way to deal with allergies is to avoid exposure to allergens.

Sore throat

Generally, sore throats are caused by a viral infection, so this illness also do not need antibiotics. However, if the doctor has confirmed that a sore throat is caused by a bacterial infection, such as by the Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria, the Little One needs to be given antibiotics.

Cough with phlegm, shortness of breath, cold, fever

This condition can be associated with acute bronchitis. Usually, acute bronchitis is caused by the influenza virus, so it does not need antibiotics. Antibiotics are given if a bacterial infection is confirmed.

Now, Daddy and Mommy already know that not all diseases must be given antibiotics. Use antibiotics wisely. Support the health of your Little One by providing nutritionally dense food and adequate rest. Mommy can also provide nutrients that contain lactoferrin, nucleotides, probiotics and prebiotics, which function to increase endurance so that the body gets little protection. Want to know how these four components maintain the health of your child? Consider the following explanation.

Nucleotides are proteins that the body needs to be able to strengthen immunity towards infections and support the health of the digestive system. Nutrition will be absorbed and channeled properly if the digestion of the Little One is healthy. Nucleotides also play an important role in the formation of the metabolism of the Little One.

Lactoferrin has various functions including as an antimicrobial, regulates iron absorption in the intestine, and regulates the body's immune system. Lactoferrin works on white blood cells to provide immunity. With a maximum immune system, your Little One will not be infected more severely from viruses and bacteria in the digestive tract and respiratory tract. Your Little One will be prevented from having diarrhea, gastrointestinal infection, cough, and cold.

Probiotics are good bacteria needed by the body while prebiotics are food for these good bacteria. The combination of probiotics and prebiotics is useful so that your Little One will not be easily have a diarrhea or constipation and has an improved absorption of nutrients so that the immune system will increase.