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[The use of paracetamol and antibiotics among preschool children]
Per Lagerløv1, Tanja Holager, Tone Westergren
1RELIS Sør, Rikshospitalet, 0027 Oslo. per.lagerlov@samfunnsmed.uio.no
Insights
Paracetamol is widely used by preschool children, especially those aged one to two years. Antibiotic use for ear infections (otitis) in young children is common and often exceeds recommended treatment durations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric pharmacology
- Infectious disease epidemiology
Context:
- Rising sales of pediatric paracetamol and frequent antibiotic prescriptions necessitate understanding usage patterns.
- Preschool children represent a key demographic for studying medication use due to their susceptibility to infections.
Purpose:
- To investigate the utilization of paracetamol and antibiotics across different age groups within the preschool population.
- To identify common indications for antibiotic use and assess treatment adherence in young children.
Summary:
- A survey of 1312 preschool children revealed that 46% received paracetamol and 12% used antibiotics. Illness and paracetamol use peaked in one- to two-year-olds.
- Otitis was the primary reason for antibiotic prescription in children aged one to four years, with treatment durations frequently exceeding guidelines.
Impact:
- Findings highlight the extensive use of paracetamol in young children, potentially linked to increased infection exposure and parental return to work.
- Emphasizes the need for judicious antibiotic prescribing for otitis and adherence to recommended treatment durations to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Background:
Sales of paracetamol in paediatric formulations are increasing and antibiotics are frequently prescribed to children. Our aim was to study the use of paracetamol and antibiotics in different age groups among preschool children.
Material And Methods:
Parents of 1312 children (99% response rate) visiting public health centres were asked to state how often their child had been sick, used paracetamol, seen a doctor, or used antibiotics during the previous three months. If the child had used antibiotics, parents were asked to give the reason for treatment, the name of the drug used, and the duration of treatment.
Results:
71% of the children had been sick, 46% had received paracetamol, 36% had seen a doctor, and 12% had used antibiotics. The highest frequency of illness and paracetamol use was seen among children one to two years of age. Otitis was the main reason for using antibiotics in children of one to four years of age, and the duration of treatment was often longer than recommended.
Interpretation:
Use of paracetamol is widespread among preschool children. Parents going back to work after maternity leave and more frequent fever resulting from exposure to infections may contribute to an increased use of paracetamol. Restrictive use of antibiotics for otitis and shorter treatment duration continue to be emphasised.
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