Should You Give Kids Probiotics While on Antibiotics?

Probiotics are often recommended for kids while taking antibiotics to prevent diarrhea and keep a proper balance of organisms in the digestive tract. But there is some question on whether or not taking these probiotics actually works in the prevention of antibiotic-related diarrhea. Should you give kids probiotics while on antibiotics?

There are good bacteria that live in the digestive tract. Antibiotics not only kill harmful bacteria but beneficial bacteria as well. It is often recommended that parents give kids probiotics while on antibiotics to build up the good bacteria to prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea and to keep the digestive tract in balance.

However, research shows that taking probiotics while on antibiotics may not prevent antibiotic-related diarrhea in kids as once believed. Probiotics have been found to be more effective in reducing the duration of antibiotic-related diarrhea in children rather than preventing it in the first place. Even so, not all probiotics work on all types of diarrhea.

Also, it is important to note that probiotics have not been found to be as effective in the treatment or prevention of antibiotic-related diarrhea caused by the bacteria C. difficile . If your child develops diarrhea while taking an antibiotic, talk with your child's pediatrician to rule out this specific bacteria. If C. difficile is suspected, your child's antibiotic will need to be changed in order to treat both the initial infection and the C. difficile infection. Simply administering probiotics may not be enough in this case.

Does this mean that it is useless to give kids probiotics while on antibiotics? Even though antibiotic-related diarrhea may not always be prevented, probiotics can still increase good bacteria levels in the digestive tract. Also, the use of probiotics may also shorten the duration of antibiotic-related diarrhea in kids.

Probiotics are considered safe, even for kids. They are available in many forms and can even be found as additives in certain dairy products. However, if your child has a fever you may want to avoid giving dairy products until after the fever has passed because consuming dairy products with a fever can cause vomiting.

It is also important to note that although probiotics are safe for most kids, they should not be given to children with certain disorders or weakened immune systems. Even in normally healthy children, it might be best to wait until your child has completed a course of antibiotics before giving probiotics. Talk with your child's pediatrician before using any products to treat or prevent any illness and to decide if you should give kids probiotics while on antibiotics.

FURTHER REFERENCE:

Bradley C. Johnston, et al.; Probiotics for pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials; CMAJ

Taina Arvola, et al.; Diarrhea in Children with Respiratory Infections: A Randomized Study; Pediatrics