Parents are being encouraged to help their children get better from everyday coughs, sore throats and earaches – and to understand when antibiotics will and won’t work in helping their child recover.
This World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, the NHS in the North East and North Cumbria has launched its ‘Little Bug Busters’ campaign helping raise awareness of antibiotic use and signposting parents to healthcare advice and support for childhood illnesses by downloading the NHS Healthier Together app.
Both GPs and pharmacists can now prescribe antibiotics, when they’re really needed, for specific conditions - but are reminding parents that many common childhood illnesses are caused by viruses, not bacteria, which means antibiotics won’t make any difference – and are often not needed.
Dr Neil O’Brien, chief medical officer, NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “It’s completely normal for children to pick up coughs, colds and ear infections, especially when they’re around other children at nursery or in school.
“The good news is, in most cases, children with a healthy immune system and up-to-date vaccinations are ‘little bug busters' and with rest, plenty of fluids and care at home, they’ll often feel better soon – antibiotics don’t usually speed things up.”
Health experts are also reminding families that using antibiotics too often can lead to antibiotic resistance, this means that in the future, antibiotics might not work as well when they’re really needed for more serious infections.
Shivam Maini, ICB strategic head of medicines optimisation, said: “We know it can be worrying when your child is poorly, but most of these common illnesses get better on their own. Antibiotics can cause side effects like diarrhoea or rashes, so it’s best to keep them for when they’re really needed."
The NHS is signposting parents and carers towards its Healthier Together website – which offers information and advice on checking your child’s symptoms, with handy pictures and tips on self-care, and a simple traffic light guide to know when to get help, and where to go!
Shivam added: “We all want to do the right thing when our little ones are poorly. Sometimes that means getting advice on how to treat common illnesses, visiting a pharmacy for some over-the-counter medicine, or sometimes it just means letting children's own 'bug busting' immune system take care of things naturally.
“That said, if your child has an existing health condition or they’re not getting better, don’t hesitate to get help - but most of the time, rest, fluids and care at home is the best medicine of all.”
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