Infectious morbidity in 18-month-old children with and without older siblings.

BACKGROUND Infections are the most commonly reported health problems in children. Younger age and day care outside the home are two factors of importance for infectious morbidity. The influence of siblings on infectious symptoms is not clear. OBJECTIVES To compare families with one child and families with more than one child in terms of reported infectious symptoms, physician consultations and antibiotic prescriptions. METHODS A prospective population-based survey was performed. During 1 month, all infectious symptoms, physician consultations and antibiotic prescriptions for 18-month-old children were noted by the parents. The 789 families also answered questions about socio-economic factors, numbers of siblings in the family and type of day care. RESULTS No difference in number of symptom days was found between children with and without older siblings. Neither could we find any significance in terms of having older siblings in relation to physician consultations and antibiotic prescriptions. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study indicate that having older siblings not was important in relation to number of symptoms days, physician consultations or antibiotic prescriptions for 18-month-old children in Sweden today. Changes in social activities and attitudes towards antibiotic prescription may explain our different findings as compared with previous Swedish studies and studies from other countries.