Children younger than two years old may have long-term health complications as a result of antibiotic use, new research suggests.
The results of the new study appeared in Mayo Clinic Proceedings and involved a group of researchers at the Mayo Clinic.
As part of the study, more than 14,000 children were analyzed, with the majority of them having consumed antibiotics to treat a condition before they reached 24 months of age.
According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, the children who consumed more than one antibiotic treatment correlated with a higher likelihood of contracting illnesses later in life.
As highlighted in the findings, children with a history of antibiotic use before the age of 2 were associated with an increased risk of developing conditions like asthma, atopic dermatitis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and celiac disease.
“The present study finds significant associations between early-life antibiotic exposure and several distinct health conditions with childhood onset,” the authors of the study implied in their newest published work.
“Additional research is warranted to establish practical guidelines to optimize the benefit and minimize the risk of antibiotics in children.”
