Antibiotics, allergies, and the risk no one’s talking about

There’s a lot of debate these days about “fact or fiction” in medicine.

Some questions are long overdue. Others, not so much.

But one thing is clear: While many want medicine to be black and white, we can’t afford to ignore the grey areas.

That’s especially true when it comes to children’s health.

And now, a new study highlights something I’ve been warning about for years…

The long-term risks of excessive antibiotic use in early childhood.

One decision, lasting consequences

My book The Allergy and Asthma Cure is based on the theorized link between antibiotic use and certain diseases. So, I was glad to see modern research finally catching up.

For the recent study, researchers looked at data from nearly 700,000 children, tracking the long-term effects of antibiotic exposure between birth and age 2.

The findings were both validating… and deeply concerning.

Children who received multiple rounds of antibiotics in those first two years faced significantly higher risks of developing asthma, food allergies, and allergic rhinitis.

But the effects didn’t stop there…

Children who received five or more rounds faced a 73 percent higher risk of intellectual disability, compared to those who received just one or two courses.

To be clear, we’re talking about massive numbers of kids here—and massive amounts of antibiotics being prescribed. The sheer scale should make anyone pause. (It honestly blew my mind!)

Prevention over prescriptions

This isn’t about blaming parents or doctors who acted with good intentions. It’s simply about rethinking a system that defaults to prescriptions instead of prevention.

Yes, antibiotics can be lifesaving when truly needed. But using them as a go-to for every sniffle, cough, or earache? That’s short-sighted—and, as we now see, potentially harmful in the long run.

I’ve been outspoken about the dangers of antibiotic overuse my entire career. This research is yet another nail in the coffin for the “just in case” prescription mindset.

As someone committed to practicing holistic medicine—and finding the root cause of a problem…

I’ll always advocate for a big-picture view. It’s the only way to truly protect our health—and our grandchildren’s futures.

Because if we’re not willing to look at every possible reason something could be happening, are we really any better than the conventional crowd we criticize?

P.S. I do a deep dive into the issue of commonly overprescribed (and over-used) antibiotic drugs in the February 2020 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives. Click here to read all about it.

Source:

“Antibiotics Might Increase Risk of Childhood Asthma, Allergies.” U.S. News, 04/23/2025. (usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-04-23/antibiotics-might-increase-risk-of-childhood-asthma-allergies)