Each year, the average family gets numerous sore throats, runny noses, coughs, fevers, and other types of viruses. In these cases, many parents bring children to their physician's office, expecting a prescription for medication to help the child get well faster. These days, some in the healthcare industry are being more cautious about doling out these drugs when aren't really necessary. Instead, doctors may be more likely to recommend rest and letting the patient's own immune system do job.
The overuse of antibiotics is risky business. Because bacteria are living organisms, can mutate—that is, can change over time. As a result of years or decades of antibiotic use, some bacteria have changed and become resistant to certain types of the drugs. These new "super germs" are stronger, so no longer respond to the medications. also have the power to affect larger portions of the population with more serious illnesses, making more difficult to fight them off naturally with own immune system.