Study: Excess Antibiotics for Asthmatic Kids

Many children with asthma get antibiotics they don’t need, new research suggests. One study looked at prescriptions for Belgian children. Those with asthma were almost twice as likely to be prescribed an antibiotic as other children. A second study looked at U.S. children with asthma who went to their doctor or an emergency room for care. About 16% got prescriptions for antibiotics they did not need, the study found. Antibiotics fight infections caused by bacteria. They have no proven benefit for asthma. Children with more severe asthma symptoms were the most likely to be given antibiotics. This occurred even if there was no bacterial infection. Experts say antibiotics are prescribed too often when not needed. This can help bacteria to become resistant to the drugs. Then the drugs become useless. The journal Pediatrics published the studies online.