Antibiotics have been circulating the market for over 80 years now since it was first prescribed in the 1940s. These medications have been very effective in combating several types of bacteria, especially with children. Unfortunately, as new studies conducted, it has been revealed how taking these medications can still pose health risks.
Antibiotic resistance is now considered as one of the medical field's biggest threats. This happens as a result of the misuse of antibiotics where microorganisms have somewhat evolved to become stronger and much resistant to the effects of the medication, as posted by Science Daily. Given this reason, experts encourage parents not to depend on these kinds of medications anymore but instead focus more on how to prevent a bacterial infection from happening.
To be able to resist these bacteria, experts claim how important it is to start while young. Given this, these medical practitioners encourage parents not to cover their children with antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers but instead let them explore and be exposed with microbes at an early age.
It might sound ironic, but the recent study posted in an online blog page called The Star showed how raising kids in a very hygienic environment could only make them more susceptible to diseases and illnesses caused by bacteria as they grow old. Marie-Claire Arrieta, co-author of the a new book called Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Our Children from an Oversanitized World, with her co-author Brett Finlay, a microbiologist, explained that by exposing children to these microbes, the body will be able to boost the immune system depending on the type of bacteria that the child has encountered, which they will surely benefit in the future.
Without the presence of these microbes in the environment, the body will not be able to produce the specific immune cells that could combat the bacteria itself. This creates a problem in the long run. With a weak immune system, the body will need to seek other alternatives to defeat the microbes, which will leave us with no choice but to turn to antibiotics.
Several pieces of evidence show how children who have grown up in a farm have a stronger immune system than those who have been living in a clean environment. Also, those who have pets at home have a lesser chance of developing allergies or even asthma than those who don't.
Meanwhile, experts still encourage people to wash their hands from time to time. But only before meals and after using the bathroom since microbial exposure is still necessary.
