Antibiotic Exposure in Children Under Age 2 Associated With Chronic Conditions

Children under age 2 who take antibiotics are at greater risk for childhood-onset asthma, respiratory allergies, eczema, celiac disease, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a paper written jointly by Mayo Clinic and Rutgers researchers. In a study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the researchers looked at 14,572 children born in Olmsted County, Minn., between 2003 and 2011, 70 percent of whom received at least one antibiotic prescription during their first two years, primarily for respiratory or ear infections. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the composition of the microbiome – the trillions of beneficial microorganisms that live in and on our bodies – plays a critical role in the early development of immunity, metabolism and behavior. To read the full story.