26.7% of Parents Misrepresent Child Symptoms to Get Antibiotics

Over One Quarter of Parents Misrepresent Child Symptoms to Secure Antibiotic Prescriptions, Study Reveals

More than one quarter of parents have knowingly misrepresented their child’s symptoms to secure a prescription for antibiotics, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. The findings illuminate mounting pressures in pediatric care, where clinicians increasingly navigate vaccine skepticism and increasing distrust toward doctors across specialties.

The Frequency and Motivation Behind Caregiver Deception

Thorpe noted that the findings aligned with anecdotal reports from clinicians who had observed a shift in patient interactions.

The research team surveyed 236 parents nationwide, asking whether they had ever lied about symptoms—such as claiming a child had a fever when they did not, or exaggerating the duration of a cough. Approximately three quarters of respondents, or 173 participants, stated they had never deceived a clinician to obtain antibiotics. Most cited trust in their clinician’s judgment and a personal aversion to using the medications.

However, 26.7% of surveyed parents admitted to misrepresenting symptoms at least once. Among that group, the vast majority exaggerated or fabricated symptoms, with 19.1% admitting to both. Parents cited three primary motivations for the deception:

Believing antibiotics were the sole remedy for a severely ill child (71.4%)
Wanting to accelerate the child’s return to school or extracurricular activities (66.7%)
Believing they understood their child’s medical history better than the treating physician (63.5%)

Clinical Realities and the Prescribing Cascade

The study found that 80% of the parents who misrepresented symptoms left the clinic with an antibiotic prescription, and most believed the medication was granted directly because of the deception.

Thorpe emphasized that antibiotics are not benign medications, raising the central challenge of managing caregiver beliefs during abbreviated clinical encounters.

Strategies to Bridge the Trust Gap

To counter these dynamics, Jackson suggested that pediatricians engage directly with the pediatric patient when symptom misrepresentation is suspected. Inquiring directly about missed school, daycare attendance, appetite changes, and sleep disruptions can help clarify clinical realities.

Jackson also noted that entire clinical teams, from receptionists to nurses, can help manage expectations. For instance, if a child presents with a sore throat but is actively playing in the waiting room without a fever, that is not strep. However, front-desk framing can inadvertently reinforce parent demands if not managed carefully.

Antibiotics for Children | When Are They Needed? A Parent’s Guide

To help time-pressed physicians validate concerns while maintaining appropriate prescribing standards, Jackson recommended the CASE framework:

C: Corroborate the story by asking follow-up questions about how symptoms affect the child.
A: About me, explaining the clinician’s background and experience in pediatrics.
S: Briefly explain the science and how misused antibiotics harm children.
E: Explain the treatment recommendation and provide an action plan or contingency options that do not rely on antibiotics.

The study was funded by research funds from the University of Utah, with Thorpe reporting a career development award from the American Heart Association. Kaitlin Sullivan served as the freelance journalist reporting on the study.