Children 2 years old and under who take antibiotics are at greater risk for childhood-onset chronic diseases such as asthma, allergies, obesity, and ADHD, according to a new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The study joins others that link antibiotic use and overuse with disease in young children, underscoring the need to weigh the prudent use of antibiotics against the harm they inflict on the gut microbiome early in life. The findings, based on work by researchers at Mayo Clinic and Rutgers University, support the hypotheses that the trillions of symbiotic microorganisms living in and on the body that make up the microbiome shape the early development of immunity, metabolism, behavior, and other critical functions. Early Antibiotic Exposure and Childhood Health The population-based study covered all children born in Olmsted County, Minnesota from Jan. 1, 2003, to Dec. 31, 2011.(i) It drew information on antibiotic prescriptions and analyzed the impact of antibiotic …