A Parent's Guide to Superbugs

Superbugs are the bacteria responsible for making people very sick. Before becoming a superbug, a bacterium must first be treated with an antibiotic in an improper manner. The improper treatment of a bacterial infection allows the partially treated bug to produce a new generation of offspring. The new bacterium is resistant to the antibacterial agent that was used against the parent and has become a superbug. Wikipedia has a nice overview of superbugs, just click here.

The nature of bacteria is to survive. Bacteria can thrive in the most inhospitable regions of the Earth from acidic boiling water to sulfuric atmospheres deep underground and also within the human body. Prehistoric bacteria has even been found frozen in the arctic and, when thawed, was perfectly healthy.

Humans are full of bacteria, but sometimes invasive species that can become superbugs will enter the body through open wounds or improper hygiene or breathed in. When a new bacterium enters the human body, natural defense systems become active in an attempt to purge the invader. This "war" results in flu symptoms, but also sometimes more serious ailments can occur, especially if the body's natural defense is not strong enough. This is when an antibiotic is prescribed.

If used properly, antibiotics will remove or kill the invasive bacteria, but when the antibiotic does not kill all of them, they will produce superbug offspring that are resistant. A new and stronger antibiotic must then be used on the superbug. This process can escalate until no current antibiotic can do the job. Death is often the result of a superbug infection.

As a parent, it is important for you to understand that superbugs are given new names as they change and become more resistant to antibiotics. There is no easy-to-follow list of infections with simple solutions however here is a partial list at Blogspot.com. It is important that parents follow a doctor's instructions in the use of antibiotics to the letter to prevent superbugs. Just because a child becomes better does not mean that you should stop using a prescription, the entire dosage must be used until it is gone to ensure that your child will not later come down with a superbug version of his sickness.

Do not flush antibiotics or rinse them down a drain or poor them out on the ground or bacteria in the environment may come into contact with them and evolve into superbugs as well.

Sometimes, the only solution is to allow a child to run around and get dirty as can be found at Answersingenises.org, just click here. Yes, it sounds ridiculous. Keep in mind that the human body is the natural home of many kinds of bacteria and some of them can help combat superbugs. In the sterile environment of a hospital, all bacteria are removed from your child's skin, even the helpful kind. Replacing some of those bacteria can help against a superbug. Of course, to help prevent the spread of infections, remember to properly clean with soap and warm water. Clean, but not sterile is the best solution to maintaining a natural defense against the onset of superbugs.