Recent research has revealed that children are discharged from the hospital earlier if treatments including antibiotics are properly controlled. Some hospital are even starting stewardship programs that regulate the prescription of antibiotic medications if there is no good reason for taking them. Despite the effectiveness of antibiotics in treating diseases, their overuse can lead to certain germ developing a resistance to them and keeping children sick longer.

Studies have shown stewardship programs reduce antibiotic use and decrease the risk of antibiotic resistance, but this is the first to demonstrate that these programs actually reduce length of [hospital] stay and readmission in children.” – Dr. Jason Newland.

These findings make it clear that other hospitals should consider investing in similar programs. The findings of the study were based on statistics from the Children’s Mercy Hospital. The hospital recommended changing or adjusting antibiotic medication for about 17 percent of the 7,000 children admitted. After doctors followed these recommendations, children without complex chronic diseases stayed in the hospital for shorter periods of time (about 68 hours versus 82 hours) and were less likely to be readmitted.

Skeptics say stopping the antibiotics and sending the kids home sooner will lead to more children being readmitted, but we didn’t find that. What we found was that kids were being taken off unnecessary antibiotics sooner and in a safe manner.” – Newland stated in a meeting news release.

To add to all of this, pharmaceutical development has significantly dropped and many professionals worry that in the future lies a “post-antibiotic era.” This research implies that the use of antibiotics should be optimized and that these medications are not always the answer. It is important to only prescribe them when absolutely necessary.

Read more here – “Kids May Leave Hospital Sooner When Antibiotics Are Controlled” (Randy Dotinga, US News).