Elkar for children: instructions for use

An active child with a good appetite always pleases parents and doctors, but in some cases, children quickly get tired and eat poorly, their body weight does not increase as quickly as their peers, and their appetite is reduced. Such babies are often prescribed drugs that have a positive effect on metabolic processes. One of them is Elkar.

Such a drug is usually in demand for increasing appetite, gaining weight and improving immunity. However, it is prescribed for children and for serious illnesses, for example, with hypoxic brain damage during childbirth or with other problems in neurology. If such a remedy is prescribed to a child, parents are interested in how Elkar works on the child's body, whether it is allowed for children under one year old, and in what doses it can be used in young patients of different ages.

Release form

Elkar is a product of the Russian company PIK-PHARMA, also known for the Pantogam drug. At the moment, Elkar is produced in three different forms.

Solution to be taken orally. This version of Elkar is often referred to as syrup, although it is a clear liquid. It is usually colorless, but may have a slight hue. Such a solution may have a specific smell, but often it does not smell like anything. Since this "Elkar" is most often used in children and it is allowed from birth, it is he who is considered a child form of the drug.
Effervescent granules, which are dissolved in water, after which the resulting solution is drunk. Such granules are sold in portioned sachets containing 1000 mg of the active substance in each, so this form of "Elkar" is not used in childhood. It is contraindicated under 18 years of age.
Solution, intended for intravenous or intramuscular injection. This is a liquid without any shade, placed in 5 ml glass ampoules. One package contains 5 or 10 ampoules. This form of "Elkar" is used in severe conditions (often in a hospital) and in the smallest patients, since injections are allowed at any age.

"Elkar" in the form of an oral solution is presented in pharmacies in three different packages.

Vials of 25 ml are usually prescribed for babies under 3 years old. Such a package has a dropper dispenser to accurately measure the amount of solution drops needed for the smallest children.
Bottles with 50 ml of the medicine are intended for use by children 3-12 years old. These vials also have a dropper-style dispensing device. In addition, a measuring plastic spoon is placed in the box, which holds 5 milliliters of the drug, and also has marks 1/2 (helps to measure 2.5 ml) and 1/4 (to measure 1.25 ml of the drug).
Bottles containing 100 ml of solution are profitable for teenagers over 12 years old. Together with the bottle, the box contains a measuring cup, which is convenient for dispensing the medication. In such a glass, 20 ml of solution is placed.

Composition

The main ingredient in any form of Elkar is called levocarnitine. It also has a second name - carniphite. In one milliliter of solution taken orally, this substance is contained in a dose of 300 mg. It is complemented by methyl and propyl parahydroxybenzoate, as well as purified water and citric acid.

Each milliliter of the injectable form contains 100 mg of levocarnitine, that is, one ampoule of such "Elkar" is a source of 500 mg of the active substance. It is supplemented only with sterile water. There are no other chemical additives in the injection solution.

Operating principle

Levocarnitine, which is part of all forms of Elkar, is an amino acid that is partially formed in the human body and obtained from food (mainly meat products). In structure, it is similar to vitamins, which are included in group B. This amino acid is very important for various metabolic processes and the formation of energy. The use of "Elkar" helps to eliminate its lack or to provide the body with increased needs, for example, with frequent illnesses, poor nutrition, stress or high physical exertion.

Thanks to levocarnitine in sufficient quantities, the following changes occur in the body:

due to the transfer of fatty acids and their oxidation, the process of energy formation increases, as a result of which fatigue decreases and endurance increases, and also improves performance;
protein metabolism is optimized and anabolic processes are activated;
assimilation of food improves, and the activity of digestive juices also increases;
glycogen stores increase and are spent more economically, therefore resistance to physical activity increases;
assimilation of carbohydrates and vitamins improves;
the fat content in the body decreases, and therefore the medicine helps not only with low weight, but also with overweight;
the formation of endorphins is stimulated, due to which "Elkar" increases resistance to stress;
macrophages and other immune cells receive more energy, so they more actively repel attacks from infectious agents, which has a positive effect on immunity;
the state of the nervous and cardiovascular system improves, as a result of which the resistance of the brain and myocardial tissues to various damaging factors increases;
organic acids and various toxic substances are more actively removed from the body;
metabolic processes are restored if the function of the thyroid gland is increased (levocarnitine shows partial antagonism in relation to thyroxine).

Indications

The reason to appoint "Elkar" is:

support for the newborn's body at an early birth or after a birth injury;
the need to stimulate metabolic processes in infants who add weight poorly;
decreased muscle tone in infants;
support for the body of babies who have a reduced sucking reflex;
delay in the development of mental or motor functions, as well as the prevention of such disorders;
stunted growth and underweight in children over a year old;
significant emotional or physical stress;
acceleration of recovery after injury or after surgery, as well as after a serious illness;
hyperthyroidism;
brain damage caused by trauma, as well as vascular or toxic genesis;
anorexia nervosa;
cardiomyopathies and other diseases in which there is little l-carnitine in the body or it is lost in large quantities;
chronic inflammation of the stomach or pancreas;
psoriasis and other skin diseases (the drug is included in their complex treatment).

Elkar injections are most in demand in acute hypoxic lesions of the brain or myocardium.

Contraindications

In the instructions for any of the forms of "Elkar", among the contraindications, only hypersensitivity to levocarnitine or another ingredient of the drug is noted. Other diseases are not an obstacle to the appointment of the solution.

Side effects

As a result of treatment with Elkar, abdominal pain and other dyspeptic symptoms may occur. In some children, the solution provokes an allergic reaction. In rare cases, the drug causes myasthenia gravis (such a violation is detected in patients with uremia syndrome).

Instructions for use

The solution is given to children 30-40 minutes before meals, additionally diluting with some sweet liquid, for example, juice, compote or jelly. You can also dissolve the medication in plain water. If the baby is not yet three years old, the use of "Elkar" is possible only by prescription, and the dosage in drops is determined individually. For older patients, the medication is prescribed according to the following schemes.

If the child is between 3 and 6 years old, then a single dosage of "Elkar" will be 5 drops, which corresponds to 100 mg of levocarnitine. The drug is given twice or three times a day, and the daily dosage varies from 200 mg (this amount of levocarnitine is obtained from 11 drops) to 300 mg (as much active substance is obtained from 16 drops). The duration of taking the medication is 30 days.
If a patient older than three years has been diagnosed with growth retardation, "Elkar" is taken in 13 drops, which corresponds to a single dose of 250 mg. The medicine is given to the baby twice or three times a day for a course of 20 days. After 1-2 months, the medication can be taken again, but sometimes the doctor prescribes a longer therapy - within 3 months without interruption.
If the solution is assigned to a child 6-12 years old, then 11-16 drops of "Elkar" are measured at one time, that is, 200-300 mg of active substance. Since the frequency of use is 2-3 times a day, the daily dosage for patients of this age will be from 400 mg (22 drops) to 900 mg (48 drops). The child needs to give medication for at least one month.

For adolescents, the doses depend on the reason for using Elkar, for example:

if the child is recovering from surgical treatment or injury, the solution is given twice a day for one to two months, 1500 mg each (in a full measuring spoon containing 5 ml);
in case of brain damage, the drug is prescribed in a course of 3-5 days, 2.5 ml (half a measuring spoon);
if a teenager is actively involved in sports, he can drink "Elkar" 2500 mg for 3-4 weeks before the competition from 1 to 3 times a day.

The drug in ampoules can be injected into muscle tissue, but is more often administered intravenously. The medicine is injected either in a stream for 2-3 minutes, or very slowly dripped into a vein using a special system.

For drop injections, one ampoule of "Elkar" is combined with 100-200 ml of glucose or sodium chloride solution. The dosage of the drug in childhood for each patient is determined individually. Usually, injections are prescribed for 3-7 days, and if it is necessary to take "Elkar" further, they switch to a solution that needs to be drunk.

Overdose

If you inadvertently exceed the dose of the solution, it can cause discomfort in the stomach, nausea, loose stools and other digestive disorders. To eliminate such signs of overdose, it is recommended to rinse the stomach and take a sorbent.

Interaction with other drugs

If you combine the reception of "Elkar" with treatment with glucocorticoid hormones, then the drug will accumulate more actively in the tissues. When combined with other drugs that have an anabolic effect, the effect of "Elkar" will increase.

Terms of sale and price

To buy a baby form "Elkar" in a pharmacy, you do not need to take a prescription from a doctor, but a specialist examination is desirable (and for babies under 3 years old, it is mandatory, since the dose is calculated individually).

The solution in ampoules is a prescription drug, therefore it is sold after presentation of a prescription from a doctor.

The price of a medicine is influenced by both its form and the volume of the solution inside the package. For the smallest bottle with a capacity of 25 ml, you need to pay about 300 rubles. A bottle containing 50 ml of solution costs about 360-400 rubles, and the cost of a bottle with 100 ml of the drug in different pharmacies varies from 540 to 640 rubles. The average price of 10 Elkar ampoules is about 400 rubles.

Storage conditions

The shelf life of the sealed solution, which is given to children to drink, is 3 years. It can be stored at room temperature in a place out of the reach of babies. However, from the moment the bottle is opened, the medicine should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than two months.

The shelf life of the injection form is 3 years. Store such "Elkar" at home at temperatures below +25 degrees Celsius.

Reviews

Approximately 65% of reviews on the use of Elkar in children are positive. In them, parents confirm the good efficacy of the solution in children with low body weight, MRI, encephalopathy, poor sucking reflex and other problems.

According to mothers, the medicine is tolerated well, and side effects such as dyspepsia or allergies are very rare. It is easy to dose the solution, and most parents call the price of Elkar affordable.

However, there are also many negative reviews, in which they note the absence of the desired positive effect. In some children, after the Elkar course, a marked increase in activity and a deterioration in sleep are noted. In addition, many parents attribute to the disadvantages of the solution its short shelf life after opening, as well as the need to keep the bottle in the refrigerator.

As for the doctors, they speak differently about Elkar. Some specialists see its positive effect and often use it in their practice for neurological problems, adding to the complex of treatment to other medicines.

Dr. Komarovsky doubts the need for such a medicine for children. In his opinion, such a solution will not cope with serious diseases, and for mild forms of diseases, Elkar is also not needed, since its positive effect has not been confirmed by serious studies.

Analogs

Instead of Elkar, you can use a drug called Karniten. Such a drug is produced by an Italian company not only in oral solution and injectable form, but also in chewable tablets. The basis of such a medication is also levocarnitine, therefore, "Karniten" is in demand for the same indications.

In addition, it is possible to replace "Elkar" with drugs with a similar effect ("Cardionat", "Corilip", "Pikovit", etc.), but such an analogue should be chosen only together with a doctor, because they have different active compounds.

What determines the child's appetite? What could be the reason for refusal to eat? Should a child be forced to eat and what can be the consequences of malnutrition? Dr. Komarovsky will share all the rules for feeding a child.