Antibiotics and allergic disorders in childhood.

[ema-adama]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19319220?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_PMC&linkpos=3&log$=citedinpmcarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed


FINDINGS/KEY ISSUE: Some, but not all, research indicates that antibiotic administration in pregnancy, childbirth or infancy may be linked to childhood asthma and eczema, but much uncertainty remains. None of the papers identified stated the doses of antibiotics prescribed. In addition, we were unable to locate studies reporting the interactions between antibiotics and the developing immune system.
:eek:

[ZGT Mummy]

Whilst there are many issues involved in allergies I agree that antibiotic use is an issue. I didn't have any during my preg with #1, nor has he ever had any in his life and he has no issues whatsoever, despite having a very strong family history and according to Allergy NZ has an 80% chance of having allergies - dodged that bullet lucky sod!

Sadly with #2 I did have IV antibiotics for a week at 20 weeks preg and he had some at 9 weeks old for a couple of days till I pulled the plug when I found the sanity that I'd misplaced. He is a highly allergic child and I suspect will have allergic tendancies all his life. His eczema isn't so bad during the winter so we don't even worry about it at the moment, but come summer.....

With #3 again, nothing for me and nothing so far for her and she has so far developed some eczema around her neck and under her chin, and on her upper thighs and behind the knees.

So I have one of each scenario! Work that one out!

[Serephina]

No surprises there :coffee:

[ema-adama]

Agreed, no surpises. I still continue to be astonished by the mind set where doctors (in my family) arrogantly tell me that the only concern with overprescription of antibiotics is the development of superbugs.

I think that antibiotics are part of the picture when it comes asthma and ezcema. The health of the mother, the birthing environment, breastfeeding relationship etc all seem to play a role. No one thing carries the full burden for health problems in children.

MT is very much the person with the information at her fingertips on these issues. I just like finding clues on pubmed by myself. Every now and then I worry that I am being brainwashed and subjected to 'group think' against the medical establishment while online. (please don't take this the wronge way, I have met the most amazing people online and learnt far more than I did at university) It is reassuring to me to find articles that support a less intrusive way of life, a more 'natural' way of life. And the common interventions that most mothers and babies receive in the Western World seem to not be quite that risk free. At least not as risk free as the doctors pushing them believe them to be.

Anyway, that is just my long winded way of saying that while this article is hardly headline news for people who come to this forum, for me it is reassuring that elements within the medical establishment are catcing up in their understanding of health and preventative medicine.

I like to think that one day the health benefits of birthing at home and breastfeeding your child and staying away from drugs unless it serisouly is life and death, will become the standard, not just for 'fanatics'. I realise this is a dream, but I like to dream.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

we were unable to locate studies reporting the interactions between antibiotics and the developing immune system.

More accurate translation: No one bothered to do them, because who would have thought that antibiotics could undermine the immune system?

[Spy]

More accurate translation: No one bothered to do them, because who would have thought that antibiotics could undermine the immune system?
Or this one: whenever a study was funded by a pharmaceutical company that sells BOTH antihistamines and antibiotics, there was no connection found, but whenever a study was funded by a pharmaceutical company that only sells antihistamines, lo and behold, there may be some connection! But no, there is no certainty in the matter. At least while there is any profit to be made on antibiotics sales.

[Nirvana]

Prenatal paracetamol exposure and risk of asthma and elevated immunoglobulin E in childhood.

BACKGROUND: We recently found that paracetamol (acetaminophen) use in late pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of early wheezing in the offspring. OBJECTIVE: To see whether use of paracetamol in late pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of asthma, wheezing and other atopic outcomes in the child at school age. METHODS: In the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, we measured associations of paracetamol and aspirin use in late pregnancy (20-32 weeks) with asthma, hayfever, eczema (n = 8511) and wheezing (8381) in the offspring at 69-81 months, and with atopy (positive skin prick test to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, cat or grass, n = 6527) and blood total IgE (n = 5148) at 7 years. We used logistic and linear regression to analyse binary outcomes and log-transformed IgE, respectively, controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: Use of paracetamol, but not aspirin, in late pregnancy was positively associated with asthma (odds ratios (ORs), comparing children whose mothers took paracetamol 'sometimes' and 'most days/daily' with those whose mothers never took it, 1.22 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.41) and 1.62 (95% CI: 0.86-3.04), respectively; P trend = 0.0037), wheezing (ORs 1.20 (95% CI: 1.02-1.40) and 1.86 (95% CI: 0.98-3.55), respectively; P trend = 0.011), and total IgE (geometric mean ratios 1.14 (95% CI: 1.03-1.26) and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.98-2.38), respectively; P trend = 0.0034), but not hayfever, eczema or skin test positivity. The proportion of asthma attributable to paracetamol use in late pregnancy, assuming a causal relation, was 7%. CONCLUSION: Paracetamol exposure in late gestation may cause asthma, wheezing and elevated IgE in children of school age.
PMID: 15649261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Alongwith antibiotics, acetaminophen use in pregnancy too is associated with increased risk for asthma, allergies. This does bother me but does not surprise me.