Even among the modern range of antihistamines, you can not come to the pharmacy and buy the first one that comes across. The drug should be selected taking into account the sensitivity of the patient, his diagnosis and age. Most often, pediatricians prescribe Fenistil drops for children, since this form of release of the drug is universal and is allowed to be taken from the age of 1 month.
The composition of the drug
Any form of release "Fenistil" has the active substance dimethindene maleate. In drops, additional components are also:
- benzoic acid;
- saccharin;
- purified water;
- citric acid monohydrate;
- edetate disodium;
- sodium hydrogen phosphate;
- propylene glycol.
Drops for children "Fenistil" are a clear, odorless liquid with a characteristic smack of vanilla. The drug is always packaged in 20 ml brown glass bottles and cardboard boxes with an annotation inside. Each bottle is necessarily equipped with a dropper dispenser, which greatly facilitates the dosage of the medication.
Each ml of the product contains 1 mg of the main active ingredient.
Indications for appointment
For children, Fenistil drops can be prescribed in the following cases:
- course treatment of year-round rhinitis;
- food or drug allergies;
- hives;
- Quincke's edema;
- hay fever;
- itchy dermatitis;
- insect bites;
- eczema;
- chickenpox, rubella, measles;
- atopic dermatitis;
- post-vaccination period;
- hyposensitizing therapy.
Pharmacology
The medication is a blocker of H1-histamine receptors. According to the effect on the body, allergy drops for children, Fenistil can be attributed to the first generation, but the drug differs from the group in that it causes less sedative effect and lasts longer. The maximum effect of taking the drug is observed for 5 hours, its maximum concentration in the body is recorded 120 minutes after administration, and after 6 hours the medication is already beginning to be withdrawn. This happens through the kidneys and intestines.
After the drug penetrates the body, there is a decrease in capillary permeability, relieving pain, reducing itching and inflammatory processes.
Bans to use
Despite the fact that drops of “Fenistil” for children up to a year are allowed to be prescribed, the medication still has age restrictions. The drug is contraindicated in children under the age of 1 month.
In addition, infants up to 1 year old should be given drops very carefully, since the sedative effect can provoke an increase in night apnea syndrome.
Do not treat allergies with medication and patients with diagnoses:
- bronchial asthma;
- angle-closure glaucoma;
- individual intolerance.
Also, drops are not prescribed even for adult patients with prostate adenoma, chronic respiratory diseases, epilepsy, in the first trimester of pregnancy and during lactation.
Side effects
In the early days of treatment, drops for children "Fenistil" may have a more pronounced sedative effect. In addition to changes in behavior, a child may experience headaches, dry mouth, nausea, respiratory failure, dizziness, swelling of the face and throat, or allergic rashes.
In the event of any of these symptoms, the drug should be stopped and consult a pediatrician.
Overdose
Exceeding the recommended dose of the drug in children leads to severe excitement, which is manifested by dilated pupils, increased heart rate, impaired coordination of movement and dry mouth. In especially serious cases, hallucinations, convulsions and flushing of the head may occur. In adults, an overdose is manifested by increased drowsiness and depression of the nervous system.
The elimination of symptoms is carried out by symptomatic treatment. Enterosorbents are given to the patient, if necessary, drugs to support breathing and the work of the cardiovascular system. It is strictly forbidden during this period of analeptics.
Interaction with other medicines
The instruction for drops "Fenistil" for children up to a year and older strictly prohibits combining the drug with other medicines that have a depressing effect on the nervous system. These include any sleeping pills, antipsychotics, antiemetics, antihistamines, tricyclics, bronchodilators, antidepressants, opioid analgesics and Procarbazine.
Drug dosage
Only a pediatrician can accurately determine how many drops of Fenistil to give a child a year, since this also depends on the weight of the baby. As a rule, the average recommended dose for children under 12 months is 3-10 drops per dose and 9-30 drops per day.
Doctors prescribe the drug based on weight - drop by drop for each kilogram, so if the baby weighs more than 10 kg per year, then the dosage will be more for him.
The basis of this calculation is that 1 ml is contained in each ml, and infants per kg of weight are allowed to give no more than 0.1 mg of the active substance.
Of course, the dispenser should be checked first. Sometimes their patency gives out 20 drops for each ml, then the dosage needs to be changed.
The drug is always taken 3 times a day in equal doses. For babies up to 3 years, the maximum dosage is 45 drops per day. Children at 3-12 years old can be given 15-20 drops at the first dose, and 20-40 drops for older ones.
If the child has severe drowsiness after taking it, then you can reduce the daily dose, and increase the evening, without going beyond the daily limit.
Important information
Even the correct dosage of drops for children "Fenistil" can provoke increased excitability in preschool children.
Drops have a vanilla flavor, so older children are given in pure form. For infants, the product can be diluted in water or baby food and given with a spoon before meals or directly from the bottle.
Adults should not take medication if necessary to operate mechanisms or vehicles.
It is important to remember that the drug does not eliminate itching with cholestasis.
Storage conditions
Drops should be stored out of the reach of children and at a temperature not exceeding 25 0. The shelf life under all conditions is 2 years. If the drug is heated during this period, it must be disposed of. "Fenistil" is sold in pharmacies in the public domain, but it can only be used after consulting a pediatrician.
Analogs of means
According to the active substance, Fenistil drops for children do not have direct analogues; therefore, if necessary, replace the drug, attention should be paid to antihistamines with a similar mechanism of action.
So, in the form of drops, Zirtek, Ketotifen Sofarma, Parlazin and Zodak preparations are produced. Admission of the first two is allowed from 6 months, and the rest is only 1 year old. For babies after 2 years, you can buy Lomilan tablets or Lorahexal syrup. The drug "Suprastin" also has good reviews, but it is allowed to give it only to children from the age of three. Previously, the drug can be taken only in critical cases and exclusively under the supervision of a doctor.
Reviews
Drops for children "Fenistil" reviews collect mostly good. Many parents are sure that this drug is simply obliged to be in the first-aid kit of each family as a life-saving tool for insect bites and allergic reactions to new foods.
In this case, drops should be given strictly according to age and recommendations from the instructions, continuing treatment to fix the effect a couple of days after the disappearance of signs of the disease. Some parents recommend giving the drug to alleviate the effects of vaccination. To do this, you should start drinking the drops 2 days before the doctor's appointment. Thus, Fenistil helps even children with chronic atopic dermatitis.
Many mothers of babies with artificial feeding know how to take Fenistil in drops for children, because new mixtures do not always suit the baby, even if they are in good demand. In the case of food reactions, the drug helps to eliminate the signs of allergies within 2-3 days, but you need to drink the drops in a course of 10 days in order to fix the result and not provoke the appearance of a rash immediately after drug withdrawal. The medication also solves similar problems during the period of the introduction of complementary foods.
Among the negative reviews about the drug, many note its high cost and a vivid manifestation of changes in behavior. For some children, this is increased drowsiness, for others - excessive arousal. Some Fenistil does not help at all, but such cases are very rare and are more likely the exception.
The positive effect of the drug is also noticed by adult patients, especially those suffering from hay fever. Drops quickly eliminate the symptoms of allergies and contribute to the easy experience of certain seasons. For adults, the drawback is the need to take the drug three times a day, and, of course, its cost, because the consumption of drops at the same time increases significantly.
Advantages and disadvantages of the drug
This medication is most prescribed for young children, since most of the other antihistamines are not allowed for children under 1 year old. In addition to the fact that drops can be given starting from a month old, adults can also use the drug. This advantage allows you to have in the medicine cabinet a universal anti-allergic agent for the whole family. The pluses include the pleasant taste of the drops, the long shelf life and a convenient dispenser.
Of course, some patients also note certain disadvantages of the drug. Among them, absolutely everyone focuses on the high cost of the drug. On average, a bottle of drops can be purchased for 500 rubles.
Also, before giving Fenistil to children, one should be prepared to increase their excitability. This effect is observed in almost every child, as well as increased drowsiness in adults. In some cases, newborns may suffer from drowsiness so that they do not wake up almost all day.
The disadvantages include the insignificant effect of the drug in case of serious allergic reactions, which is why in severe cases, experts prescribe a comprehensive treatment.
Before using the medication, in any case, you should first consult with your pediatrician or your doctor. No matter how positive the opinions of other people are, there is no guarantee that the medicine is also ideal for you or your baby. Only a specialist can assess the situation from different angles and conclude that it is advisable to take this or that drug in each particular case.