Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2018 and is preserved for historical interest. Some recommendations, regulations, and scientific evidence have changed since it was written. It reflects the research and perspectives available at that time.
There is a growing concern about the overuse of antibiotics for the treatment of upper respiratory infections. These infections are usually viral in nature and antibiotics are useless for treating them. According to research appearing in the April, 2000 issue of the journal Pediatrics, children given antibiotics for respiratory infections have an overall increase in the number of return visits to the doctor.
