Survey: about one in four US caregivers has exaggerated or invented a child's symptoms to get antibiotics

Antibiotic overuse in children drives resistance, and a new survey study in JAMA Network Open (published 30 October 2026) suggests part of the problem may start in the consultation room.

The study

US researchers surveyed caregivers nationally; 236 were included in the analysis (out of 1,371 invited).

Findings

• 26.7% (63 caregivers) said they had ever misrepresented a child’s symptoms to a clinician to get antibiotics.
• 24.2% reported exaggerating real symptoms, 23.6% reported inventing symptoms the child did not have, and 19.1% did both.
• Of those who misrepresented symptoms, 87.3% said they obtained antibiotics at least once this way, and 63.5% said they feel clinicians do not take their symptoms seriously.
• Higher odds of misrepresentation were linked to often feeling unheard by clinicians, more comorbidities, greater acceptance of lying and lower health literacy; better knowledge about antibiotics was linked to lower odds.

The authors suggest the behaviour reflects problems in the caregiver–clinician relationship and misconceptions about antibiotics (which do not work against viral infections such as colds).

Limitations

This was a non-probability sample of modest size, so it may not represent all US caregivers; the regression results are exploratory; and self-reports may understate the behaviour because of social-desirability bias. The survey measures what caregivers say, not prescribing records. If you are unsure whether your child needs antibiotics, talk to your doctor.