NHS shares warning to any parent whose child has been prescribed antibiotics

Parents always want to make sure they get the best medical advice for their children.

And the NHS has shared a new warning to any parent who's child has been prescribed antibiotics.

The public health body took to its official Instagram page to explain why it's important for children to finish the whole course of antibiotics if they're prescribed them.

READ MORE: 'I'm a GP – three reasons you shouldn't rely on antibiotics and 'trust your body' instead'

They said children who are prescribed antibiotics for a bacterial infection may seem better after two or three days. However, the NHS said if they don't finish the full course of antibiotics, the infection is more likely to come back.

Not finishing the course could also increase the risk of bacterial becoming resistant to antibiotics, according to the health body.

They said in the post: "If your child has been prescribed antibiotics, it’s important they finish the whole course.

"Children often don’t need antibiotics because most childhood infections are caused by viruses, like colds and the flu, which antibiotics cannot treat.

"When it comes to antibiotics, take your doctor's advice on whether you need them or not. Antibiotic resistance is a big problem – taking antibiotics when you do not need them can mean they will not work for you in the future."

As well as not being used regularly for children, the NHS states on its website that antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat infections in adults too.

This is because many infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not effective, antibiotics and they are usually unlikely speed up the healing process and can cause side effects.

It also states: "The more antibiotics are used to treat trivial conditions, the more likely they are to become ineffective for treating more serious conditions.

"Both the NHS and health organisations across the world are trying to reduce the use of antibiotics, especially for health problems that are not serious."