Children can only be treated with antibiotics if they are prescribed by a doctor. But parents need to know and understand when these drugs can help. "Sumamed ® forte" is produced in different flavors so that children can take the medicine with pleasure.
Release form
"Sumamed ® forte" is a powder from which a suspension is prepared at home, that is, a liquid with fine particles suspended in it. The powder can be white or slightly yellowish, and after preparation in accordance with the instructions, it turns into a white suspension. Available in banana, strawberry and raspberry flavors.
Packaging "Sumamed ® forte" contains a glass bottle with 16.74 or 29.295 g of powder with a concentration of 100 mg / 5 ml or 200 mg / 5 ml. Also in the package there is a measuring spoon and a special syringe.
"Sumamed ® Forte" is not produced in tablets. Sometimes children are given 125 mg Sumamed tablets.
Composition
The active ingredient of the powder is azithromycin dihydradate. It is an antibiotic synthesized by pharmacists in 1980. Since that time, it has been sold in Eastern Europe and Russia under the Sumamed trademark. In other countries it is available under the Zitromax brand
1 gram of powder for preparation of the "Sumamed ® forte" suspension contains more than 50 mg of the main component.
The composition of the powder also includes auxiliary components. This is sucrose, sodium phosphate - a food additive that ensures the uniformity of the suspension. It is added, for example, to processed cheese to give it the desired consistency. Also included in the powder is titanium dioxide - a white dye used in the food industry and in the production of cosmetics, flavorings in accordance with the taste of the powder, xanthan gum - a natural chemical compound, saccharide in nature.
Operating principle
Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This means that it is equally effective not only against one specific pathogen, but is also used to combat a number of microorganisms of various etiologies.
Upon contact with the causative agent of the disease, the substance suppresses the production of protein inside the cells of the virus or bacteria. This prevents bacteria from multiplying, so the substance is able to fight various pathogenic microorganisms. In particular, these are various types of staphylococcus, chlamydia, mycoplasma, streptococcus and some others. Including microorganisms resistant to antibiotics of the penicillin series, as well as intracellular pathogens, are given to the effect of azithromycin.
Indications
This broad effect on various pathogens has made azithromycin one of the most popular antibiotics in the United States and Western Europe. In Russia "Sumamed ® Forte" is prescribed for various infectious diseases associated with inflammation. These are, for example, diseases of the nasopharynx, including sinusitis, otitis media, tonsillitis, pharyngitis. The drug is effective if pathogens are sensitive to the main component
An effective medicine against infectious diseases that affect the lower respiratory tract. This includes bronchitis in an acute course, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, regardless of the pathogen.
“Sumamed ® Forte” successfully fights against skin infections, Lyme disease, which is considered the initial stage of a serious disease - barreliosis. This disease is transmitted with a tick bite and does not always manifest itself immediately after infection.
At what age is it prescribed?
"Sumamed ® forte" is prescribed for children from 6 months. However, it is not recommended to use the drug alone. When prescribing an antibiotic at an early age, for example, at 2 months, the doctor carefully evaluates the benefits of the use with the possible damage that the antibiotic can do to the child.
Contraindications
Do not prescribe "Sumamed ® forte" to patients, regardless of age, who are diagnosed with severe liver and kidney dysfunctions, since the drug is processed in the body and excreted through these organs, and the additional load may adversely affect health.
Also, a contraindication is individual sensitivity or even intolerance both to one of the components of the drug, which is known before the start of use, and to antibiotics of the macropid group as a whole.
The drug is used very carefully in patients with arrhythmia, since taking it can provoke an attack.
Side effects
The instruction for use notes that side effects when taking "Sumamed ® forte" are rare - in about 1% of cases. However, the manifestation of unwanted symptoms is possible. So, in children it can be a headache, especially in the treatment of otitis media, as well as flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite. Sometimes dizziness, poor sleep occur, and anxiety increases. Various allergic manifestations on the skin are possible - rash, hives, itching.
Some symptoms, especially in young children, cannot be accurately identified. But if a child after taking the medicine worries, cries, sleeps poorly, he has irritation on the skin, the parents need to react. The most important thing is not to give the child any more medicine and see a doctor. If it is confirmed that the symptoms that have appeared are associated with the use of "Sumamed ® Forte", the pediatrician will prescribe symptomatic treatment and select a replacement for the drug.
It is very dangerous to ignore side effects. For example, allergic manifestations without appropriate action from the parents and the attending physician can develop into Quincke's edema.
Instructions for use
In the treatment of infectious diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, children over 6 months old are given a suspension at the rate of 10 mg per 1 kg of weight. Reception is carried out once a day for no more than 3 consecutive days. It is important that the course dosage for children should not exceed 30 mg.
The effectiveness of the drug also depends on how the drug is given in relation to food intake. For optimal effect, 2 hours should elapse between the last meal and the medication. You can also take the medicine 1 hour before a meal.
The correct preparation of the suspension is also of great importance. Using a special syringe, add the required volume of water. The exact amount is written in the instructions. Immediately after taking the medicine, the child should be given to drink it to wash off the medicine remaining in the mouth.
Overdose
It is important to observe the dose indicated in the instructions, but if an overdose does occur, children may experience symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. In some cases, children may experience temporary hearing loss.
If one of these symptoms manifests itself, as well as any other that parents may associate with taking Sumamed ® Forte, the medication should be stopped and medical attention should be sought. If the child is small, then it is better to play it safe and call an ambulance. Overdose symptoms are treated as directed and under the supervision of a physician.
Interaction with other drugs
The list of drugs with which Sumamed ® forte can interact is quite large. Not all of them are approved for use in children. But, for example, when taken simultaneously with antacids, the concentration of the antibiotic decreases by 30%, which means that the effectiveness of treatment also decreases. It is better that about 2 hours pass between taking these medicines.
Therefore, if the child takes any other drugs, then when prescribing "Sumamed ® Forte", you need to warn the doctor about this. Perhaps he will adjust the treatment, taking this factor into account.
It is strictly forbidden to give "Sumamed ® Forte" to children if they are already taking other antibiotics.
Terms of sale and storage
"Sumamed ® forte" refers to drugs that can be bought in a pharmacy only with a prescription. At home, it must be stored in a cool place, preferably at an air temperature not higher than 25? C and in a place that is inaccessible to children. The shelf life of the powder in a sealed vial is 2 years, the finished suspension is 5 days.
You can not use the drug after the expiration date, as well as a ready-made suspension that has stood for more than 5 days.
Reviews
Parents who write reviews about the experience of treating children with "Sumamed ® Forte" note several main advantages of the drug. The first is efficiency. The medicine alleviates the condition already on the first day of admission, cures green snot, prolonged cough and even bronchitis in a few days.
The second is a convenient package containing everything you need, and detailed instructions for preparing the suspension. If you strictly adhere to the instructions, then the drug cannot be overdose, which reduces the likelihood of side effects.
Another advantage is its pleasant taste, which does not need to be masked with juice or sweets. Children drink the required volume of suspension without problems. In addition, there are several tastes and if the child does not like the banana taste, you can choose, for example, raspberry powder.
It is important that the drug should be taken only once a day, since this dosage provides an effect for the whole day. Parents who know how difficult it is to give medicine to a child appreciated this quality of "Sumamed ® Forte". This is especially noted by parents of small children - up to a year. As well as the form of suspension, which is convenient to give to children at an early age. There is no need to swallow pills or crush them. The suspension form is familiar to a child at an early age who eats mashed potatoes and cereals.
It is important for parents that the medicine is as safe as possible, therefore another advantage of the drug is that it is produced by a large European company that guarantees compliance with quality standards and technology at all stages of production.
But despite the European manufacturer, the price of the drug on the Russian market remains low. In addition, Sumamed ® forte can be used not only for the treatment of children of different ages, but also for adults. Therefore, if the whole family is sick, as is often the case, it is enough to buy one medicine for all, and not spend money on purchasing the medicine for each family member individually.
Analogs
If Sumamed ® Forte is not available in the pharmacy, the drug can be replaced with other drugs, where the main active ingredient is azithromycin. This is already mentioned "Zintromax", as well as "Zintrolide", "Azitral", "Azirox" and some others.
In this case, it is important that the concentration of the active substance in the substitute preparation does not exceed that recommended specifically for children.
For example, in the form of a powder for preparing a suspension, it is produced "Azirox" 100mg / 5 ml of a Russian manufacturer. This analogue is sold at about the same price as Sumamed ® Forte. A suspension of 100 mg / 5 ml costs about 200 rubles in Moscow, and the price of "Sumamed ® Forte" with a similar content of the active ingredient is about 230 rubles.
But most of the analogues are offered in pill form in pharmacies. This is very inconvenient when treating small children, as they have to be additionally chopped and bred so that the child can drink it.
For information on how to properly prepare a suspension of the drug, see the next video.
