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Managing winter cold and flu season for young children
This winter NPS MedicineWise is reminding Australian parents and carers that young children could be taking unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions due to the common misconception in the community that antibiotics work on common winter viruses. Using antibiotics for ordinary cold and flu is a contributor to antibiotic resistance.
NPS MedicineWise is working with the Australian Government Department of Health to respond to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Child care centre staff are in a powerful position to lead this education
Child care staff can play a role in leading more informed conversations about antibiotic resistance. By educating parents and carers about the importance of this issue and promoting how to manage the symptoms of colds and flu without antibiotics, we can help reduce the demand and expectation for antibiotics and the incidence of antibiotic resistance in Australia and among Australian children.
Many people are misinformed
No-one likes seeing a child unwelI with a cold or flu, but it is important for parents and carers to remember that antibiotics only work on infections caused by bacteria, not those caused by viruses.
In most cases, children just need rest and time to allow their immune system to fight the virus. Another common misconception is that antibiotics will speed up recovery from cold and flu viruses in both children and adults – but they don't.
Antibiotic resistance and children
With any course of antibiotics, there is a risk of developing antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This means that antibiotics are no longer effective against the bacteria they once killed. Once they develop, antibiotic resistant bacteria can exist for up to a year. This is another key reason why it is important to avoid antibiotics unless there is a bacterial infection that won't clear up on its own.
Green snot
A common belief in the community and outlined in some individual child care centre guidelines is that is that if a child has green snot, they should be prescribed antibiotics. Green snot doesn't mean an antibiotic is required. Green or yellow coloured nasal discharge can in fact be a sign that the immune system is fighting the infection, and not that a viral illness is getting worse.
Ear infections
A middle ear infection will often get better by itself in a few days as the body's immune system can take care of the infection without any treatment.
Most children older than 2 years won't need antibiotics to treat a middle ear infection – the infection will clear up by itself in a few days. (However, many children younger than 2 years may need antibiotics to treat the infection.)
Antibiotics won't help relieve ear pain. Pain relief medicines (such as paracetamol or ibuprofen) can help to relieve the symptoms of an ear infection, and will usually only be needed for a short time.
Antibiotic side effects
Like any medicine, antibiotics can cause side effects. Common side effects include vomiting, diarrhoea, thrush infection and can also include allergic reactions (such as hives). Antibiotic-associated diarrhoea is particularly common in children taking a course of antibiotics.
If taken for a viral illness, antibiotics will not help the illness, but can cause damage to ‘good' bacteria like those found in the gut. Scientists are only just discovering how gut bacteria affect overall health. It takes time for these good bacteria populations to regenerate in a child's body after a course of antibiotics.
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HELP RAISE AWARENESS |
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an opportunity to win educational resources for your centre
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Even though colds, flu and antibiotic resistance are no laughing matter, you can have some fun and win a $500 book pack for your centre. Simply ask your children to draw pictures of ways to stop the spread of cold and flu germs and send in a photo of their drawings on display.
Information and terms & conditions are now available at nps.org.au/kidscomp
Information and resources to share
Resources to share are also available:
- Poster – to remind parents and carers that antibiotics won't speed up cold and flu recovery
- Brochure (tri-fold) – explaining ways to manage the symptoms of colds and flu without antibiotics and how we can all help to prevent the spread of cold and flu germs.
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Medicines Line
For questions about medicines and children, call the pharmacists at the Medicines Line on 1300 MEDICINE (1300 633 424) from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local phone call (calls from mobiles may cost more), Mon–Fri, 9am to 5pm AEDT.
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Independent, evidence-based and not-for-profit
NPS MedicineWise enables better decisions about medicines and medical tests.
We receive funding from the Australian Government Department of Health.
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