Of course, reducing the chances your child will develop asthma is just one reason to limit their exposure to antibiotics and other medications whenever possible, particularly when they're very young. Excessive antibiotic use can reduce their effectiveness over time, meaning they're progressively less likey to work the more often they're prescribed. And along with over-the-counter and prescription medications, antibiotics come a variety of potential side effects - some that are relatively minor in nature (which is small consolation to a concerned parent), but others that can be life-threatening. To learn more about antibiotic resistance, talk to your doctor and visit www.cdc.gov/resistance.

toyourhealth.com July 2009