Infections caused almost three quarters of infant doctor visits and one in 10 emergency visits in a study involving 1074 Geelong families pre-COVID-19.
The Barwon Infant Study, published last week, found that infection caused 72.4 per cent of GP visits and 10.4 per cent of emergency department visits for babies between 2010 to 2014, with respiratory illnesses the most common cause.
The study, led by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), linked maternal antibiotic exposure in pregnancy, older siblings attending childcare and reduced rates of breastfeeding with increased infant infections.
“On average, infants who were breastfed for at least four weeks experienced about 30 per cent fewer overall infections,” the institute’s Rebecca Rowland said.
Dr Rowland acknowledged antibiotics could be lifesaving but cautioned against overuse.
“The key messages are promoting appropriate antibiotic use in pregnancy, and also breastfeeding for at least the first month of life,” she said.
“These factors may help reduce the early life burden of infection.”
The study found a link between attending childcare from one to 40 weeks and infection risk.
But the researchers stressed the broad positive impacts of childcare on child development.
On average, infants with siblings aged two to six years had more infections, and those with siblings aged 10 to 21 years had an increased risk of gastroenteritis.
But MCRI’s David Burgner said respiratory infection presentations, such as the flu, to The Royal Children’s Hospital had dropped dramatically during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Professor Burgner attributed this to good hygiene practices and an increased uptake of the influenza vaccine.
“One of the few silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the emphasis placed on hand hygiene in potentially infectious settings, like childcare and shopping centres,” he said.
“This has not only helped limit COVID-19 spread in adults, but also the normal childhood infections we would otherwise have seen over winter.”
Restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 have prevented at least 400 flu deaths across Australia so far, according to the World Health Organisation.
MCRI and Deakin University conducted research in collaboration with Barwon Health.
The Royal Children’s Hospital, University of Melbourne and Monash University also contributed to the findings.
Infection causes almost five million deaths worldwide in pre-school children.
