If you’ve ever brought your child to the doctor for an ear infection, strep throat or another bacterial infection, chances are they’ve been prescribed an antibiotic. But if you’ve taken them in for a bad cough or cold, you may have left wondering why they didn’t get one.
Antibiotics are one of the most important tools we have to treat bacterial infections, but they don’t help every illness, especially viral ones. Knowing when they are needed, and when they’re not, is one of the best ways we can protect these life-saving medications for our use in years to come.
That’s especially important in light of a large international study recently published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers found that antibiotic resistance is increasing in children around the world. While the findings deserve our attention, they’re not a reason to panic. Instead, they’re a reminder of why thoughtful antibiotic use is so important.
What Is Antibiotic Resistance?
Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria that cause infections. Bacteria are living organisms, and like all living things, they change over time. Some bacteria have learned different ways to survive the antibiotics that once killed them. This is called antibiotic resistance.
When bacteria become resistant, infections can become more difficult to treat. Doctors may need to use different antibiotics or, in some cases, treatments that require hospitalization.
The good news is that antibiotics continue to work very well for most bacterial infections in children.
Why Are Doctors Paying Closer Attention?
The JAMA Pediatrics study analyzed more than 100,000 bacterial samples collected from children in 82 countries over nearly two decades.
Researchers found that resistance is increasing in several bacteria that commonly cause serious infections in children. They also projected that, if current trends continue, resistance to some of the most commonly used antibiotics in hospitals could continue to rise over the next decade.
The biggest takeaway isn’t that common childhood illnesses are suddenly becoming untreatable. It’s that we need to protect the antibiotics we rely on to treat our sickest patients — children with severe infections such as sepsis, pneumonia or infections that require intensive care.
Should Parents Be Worried?
In short, no.
Most childhood bacterial infections can still be treated successfully with antibiotics. If your child develops strep throat, pneumonia or another bacterial illness, there’s every reason to expect that today’s antibiotics will still do their job.
What this study tells us is that we need to continue using antibiotics carefully so they remain effective in the future.
Parents don’t have to be afraid of antibiotics. When they’re needed, they’re incredibly effective and often life-saving.
Why Antibiotics May Not Be Prescribed
One of the most common questions I hear from parents is, “Why doesn’t my child need an antibiotic?”
The answer usually comes down to one important fact: antibiotics only work against bacteria.
They do not treat viral illnesses like:
- The common cold
- Influenza (flu)
- RSV
- COVID-19
- sore throats that are rapid and cult test negative
- Most cases of bronchitis
If your child’s illness is caused by a virus, an antibiotic won’t help them recover faster. Instead, it may expose them to unnecessary side effects and give bacteria another opportunity to become resistant.
It can be frustrating to leave an appointment without a prescription, especially when your child doesn’t feel well. But sometimes the best treatment is rest, fluids, fever control and allowing the body’s immune system to fight the infection naturally.
What Can Parents Do?
Parents play an important role in helping slow antibiotic resistance. Fortunately, the steps are simple.
Keep your child up to date on vaccines.
Vaccines prevent many infections before they start, reducing the need for antibiotics in the first place.
Practice good hand hygiene.
Handwashing remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent infections from spreading.
Teach your children to wash their hands:
- Before eating
- After using the bathroom
- After coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose
- After playing outside
Never use leftover antibiotics.
Every infection is different. Never give your child antibiotics that were prescribed for someone else or saved from a previous illness.
Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed.
If I prescribe an antibiotic for your child, it’s because I believe they’ll benefit from it. Be sure to give the medication exactly as directed, and don’t stop or change the treatment plan without talking to your healthcare provider.
Ask questions.
I always encourage parents to ask questions about their child’s care.
Some good ones include:
- Is this infection caused by bacteria or a virus?
- Why do you recommend an antibiotic—or not recommend one?
- What can I do to help my child feel better at home?
- When should I call you if my child isn’t improving?
These conversations help us make the best decisions together.
The Bottom Line
Antibiotics remain one of the greatest advances in modern medicine. They continue to save countless children’s lives every day.
What studies like this remind us is that these medications are a shared resource. Every time we use an antibiotic thoughtfully, we help preserve its effectiveness, not only for our own children, but for every child who may need it in the future.
If your child is sick and you’re unsure whether they need an antibiotic, don’t be afraid to ask.
One of the most important parts of my job is helping families understand what type of infection their child has, the best way to treat it and what to expect as they recover.
