Antibiotics are types of medicines that will search out and destroy
bacteria. Penicillin was the first antibiotic to be discovered and was made from mold! Antibiotics can work very well against bacteria, but they don't work against viruses.
 Bacteria are very tiny single cell organisms, which can live anywhere - on and in bodies, in water, in the ground and on anything you can touch.
 You need a very powerful microscope to be able to see them.
 They can grow anywhere they can find the food they need, which is everywhere that is not sterile (too clean for germs).
 Most bacteria do not make you sick but some can cause lots of illnesses when they get into a body - illnesses like some ear infections, tonsillitis and food poisoning.
 If you get a cut and don't clean it, bacteria can make the place where you cut yourself sore, and can also spread to other parts of your body making you feel headachy, hot and sick, or even worse.
 Not all bacteria are the bad guys. Some bacteria live inside our bodies and help to digest food, make vitamins like vitamin K, and help to fight against other harmful bacteria.
Viruses are even smaller than bacteria. They can live outside the body for a short time but they need to be in a body to grow. They get into a body cell and feed from it, then they divide again and again to make more viruses. Antibiotics cannot kill a virus.
Adapted from: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=2376

Your body has its own immune system . It's like an army which is there ready to defend you against an invasion by harmful bacteria.
When bacteria come into your body, your body makes antibodies, which act like soldiers to search out and destroy the enemy.
Antibiotics are chemicals which can help your body win the battle by killing the harmful bacteria cells or stopping them from growing. They can recognize the enemy because the cells of bacteria are different to the cells in your body. Bacteria have cells walls but animal cells (including human cells) do not.
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Once the bacteria have been killed, your body's immune system sets to work to clean up all the dead bacteria and get them out of your body.
Antibiotics don't work against viruses because the virus gets into your own body cells and hides there - a bit like a soldier not being able to recognize the enemy because he isn't wearing the right uniform.
These are a few of the times when antibiotics might be able to help your immune system fight off harmful bacteria which try to invade your body: some middle ear infections some tonsillitis infections some infections inside cuts or wounds some skin problems like impetigo (school sores).
Sometimes asthma can be triggered by an infection, but this is usually a virus infection, so antibiotics can't help.
Your doctor will know when antibiotics can help and which one to use.
Adapted from: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=2376

Because your body has its own immune system to fight off bacteria, most illnesses will get better after a while. As your immune system fights off harmful bacteria, it gets stronger and better. Your doctor knows when antibiotics will help and when it is better to let your body defend itself.
Sometimes antibiotics don't work anymore. This is because the bacteria have learned how to defend themselves against that chemical. It will take a different antibiotic to get rid of the bacteria.
Fortunately, scientists are always working to improve antibiotics to help keep us safe from harmful bacteria.
Adapted from: http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=2376