Association Affected by Frequency, Type and Timing
New research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that infants and toddlers who were given antibiotics were more likely to develop serious health conditions later in childhood. The Mayo Clinic research team investigated over 14,000 children born in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Seventy percent of these children received at least one course of antibiotics before the age of two. The team discovered that children exposed to antibiotics were more likely to develop autism, asthma, allergies, weight issues, obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, celiac disease, and atopic dermatitis. Upon further investigation, the research showed that these associations were affected by the number, type and timing of the course(s) of antibiotics The researchers also discovered that infants who received multiple rounds of antibiotics were more likely to have more than one serious health condition later in life.
