Antibacterial immunity continues to rise. New strains of old diseases like TB  and staph infection  are unaffected by common drugs. Instead of restricting antibacterial usage and preventing further immunity, people continue to practically bathe in various antibacterial sprays , wipes, soaps and portable hand washs.

Over-use of medicine is a mistake, and only makes the immunity build even faster.

Parents have become increasingly protective of their children. Instead of playing outside and maybe getting a scraped knee, they sit inside watching TV and playing video games. And then instead of watching Batman  or Beast Wars , they watch Dora the Explorer  or Spongebob . Then when kids get bored and start acting out, and get put on ADD  meds. Following this trend, parents decide to order a full prescription of penicillin  for a few sniffles, often not even caused by a bacteria. Then children don’t build up an early immunity to common sicknesses, and continue to get sick more often their whole lives.

It may sound heartless, the best thing a small child can do is get sick a few times as a toddler. They build up their immune system  early, and don’t have to worry so much about future infections. That’s whym, before the vaccine, people rarely ever get chicken-pox again after they have had it once.

Students can still slow down the antibacterial-immunity building process by using antibacterials as sparingly as possible. Even though much of the damage has already been done, every little bit helps.

We have an immune system for a reason. Students, doctors and parents all need to stop over-using antibacterial medicines. Want to keep from getting sick? Go play outside  and get dirty.