Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) relieve heartburn in adults, but they’re also prescribed to children. A French study reported in JAMA Pediatrics found young children on PPIs had higher rates of bacterial, viral, respiratory and other infections.

A study appearing earlier this month in JAMA Pediatrics reported that children who took proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for stomach upset experienced a marked increase in infections requiring hospitalization.

PPIs are among the most commonly prescribed drugs in infants and children, and their use is on the rise. They work by attaching to parietal cells in the stomach, where they prevent those cells from releasing hydrochloric acid, which works with enzymes and bile juices to digest food.

A growing body of literature on the acute and long-term side effects of PPIs is causing pediatricians to rethink how these drugs are used, particularly in the very young.