For neurological problems, children are often prescribed drugs called nootropics. One of these drugs is Encephabol. Especially for small patients, such a medication is produced in the form of a suspension. If it was prescribed to a child, mothers are interested in how this drug acts on the child's body, whether it can harm and in what doses it is prescribed to babies.
Release form
Encephabol in suspension is a milky white liquid that smells good. It is bottled in 200 ml glass bottles. In addition to this form, the medicine is also available in tablets, which are covered with a yellow shell.
Composition
The main ingredient of the drug is called pyritinol and is presented in suspension in the form of dihydrochloride monohydrate. Its dosage in 5 milliliters of the drug is 100 mg. Among the excipients of liquid "Encephabol" you can see natural essence, sodium saccharinate, povidone and other ingredients. If there is a risk of an allergic reaction, then the list of all inactive components must be clarified on the box and in the paper instructions for the suspension before starting treatment.
Operating principle
Encephabol has the following therapeutic effects:
- improving the absorption of glucose by brain tissues;
- activation of the transmission of impulses in nerve cells;
- positive effect on the exchange of nucleic acids in synapses;
- impact on rheological parameters of blood and plasticity of erythrocytes, due to which blood flow in the brain improves;
- stimulation of the release of acetylcholine in nerve cells;
- stabilization of neural membranes;
- increasing the efficiency of the nervous system;
- improving memory and other mental functions.
The active substance of the suspension is well absorbed. Its bioavailability is estimated at 85%, and the maximum amount of pyritinol in plasma is noted 30-60 minutes after ingestion.
The medication is excreted in about 48 hours, mainly by the kidneys and only in small quantities in the feces. Even with prolonged treatment, the active ingredient does not accumulate.
Indications
The reason for prescribing "Encephabol" for children is:
- brain damage due to trauma;
- postponed encephalitis or meningitis, which led to adverse consequences;
- encephalopathy, including after childbirth (provoked by hypoxia);
- cerebroasthenic syndrome, which is manifested by apathy, memory impairment, irritability, headaches and other symptoms;
- delay in the development of mental functions;
- attention disorders;
- hyperactive child syndrome;
- brain damage due to poisoning;
- oligophrenia;
- significant mental or physical overload.
At what age is it prescribed?
The liquid form of "Encephabol" can be used even in infants. Such a drug is not used only in the first days after childbirth. The instruction for the suspension notes that the remedy is prescribed to babies from the third day of life.
Contraindications
The drug should not be administered to children with hypersensitivity to pyritinol or other components of the suspension. Relative contraindications to the use of "Encephabol" include kidney disease, myasthenia gravis and serious changes in blood counts. The question of the admissibility of using the medicine for children with acute autoimmune diseases and severe liver dysfunction is also decided by the doctor individually.
Since the composition of the suspension includes sorbitol, such "Encephabol" is also not prescribed for children with fructose intolerance.
Side effects
The drug is capable of provoking sleep disturbances, which is why the suspension is given in the morning. Some children have diarrhea, vomiting or nausea after taking Encephabol. In rare cases, the medication causes a decrease in appetite, dizziness, increased excitability, or has a negative effect on the liver. Sometimes an allergic reaction is found to the drug, for example, itching or rashes on the skin.
Instructions for use
Encephabol is taken in liquid form after meals or during feeding. The medication is dispensed with an ordinary teaspoon containing 5 ml of the drug. It is also convenient to use measuring syringes or spoons from other drugs for dispensing.
The suspension regimen and its single doses are determined for each child separately, because they depend on the severity of neurological problems and the child's body's response to therapy. In addition, the age of the baby also affects the dosage.
Usually for newborns from the third day of life, a single dose is 1 ml of the drug (20 mg of the active substance). Such a volume of "Encephabol" is given to the baby once a day - in the morning, so that the medication does not affect the night's sleep. From the age of two months, a single dosage is increased by 1 ml weekly until the child receives 5 milliliters of suspension per day, which corresponds to 100 mg of pyritinol.
For a child 1-7 years old, the dosage of "Encephabol" per day is 50-300 mg of the active ingredient. The medicine can be administered once or in several doses during the day. From the age of seven, the daily dose of the drug is increased to 50-600 mg per day. It is divided into one to three doses per day.
How long to give liquid Encephabol to a child depends on the disease. If the condition is acute, and the dosages are high, then the therapeutic effect can be noticed already in the first hours after administration, respectively, and the medication is not used for long. If the problem is chronic (for example, the child has suffered a traumatic brain injury), then a noticeable effect from the suspension appears at least 2-4 weeks later. For this reason, in the treatment of chronic diseases, the drug is prescribed for at least 2 months.
For newborns who have damage to the central nervous system or there is an increased risk of neurological pathologies, "Encephabol" is prescribed for a course of 6 months. Three months after the start of treatment, the baby is additionally examined to determine the need for continued therapy.
Overdose
If you accidentally exceed the dose of the suspension, it can cause nausea, diarrhea, nervous irritability, fever and other negative symptoms. To eliminate them, gastric lavage is usually used and sorbents are prescribed.
Interaction with other drugs
"Encephabol" is incompatible with preparations of gold or penicillamine, as well as with sulfasalazine. When combined with these medicines, the risk of side effects will increase. The suspension can be used with other medications.
Terms of sale
To purchase the liquid form of "Encephabol" you need a prescription from a doctor, so a doctor's examination is mandatory. The price of one bottle of medicine, depending on the pharmacy, varies between 750-900 rubles.
Storage conditions
The shelf life of the Encephabol suspension is 5 years. Until it expires, the medicine should lie in a place hidden from small children, because it has a sweet taste and a pleasant aroma, which increases the risk of overdose. The manufacturer's recommended storage temperature is from +20 to +25 degrees Celsius.
Reviews
The use of "Encephabol" in liquid form in children responds mostly positively.
The advantages of the medicine include a pleasant taste, the possibility of using it in infants and good effectiveness. Among the disadvantages of the suspension is called an increase in nervous excitability, if the medication is given after dinner, as well as the high cost. According to the parents, Encephabol is tolerated mainly without any unpleasant symptoms. Only in some children nausea, allergic rashes and other ailments were revealed due to the suspension.
Analogs
They do not produce other drugs that contain pyritinol, therefore, if there is a need to replace Encephabol with a similar medicine, the doctor may prescribe another nootropic agent, for example:
- Phenibut. Such a drug based on aminophenylbutyric acid has a positive effect on metabolic processes and blood flow in brain cells, and also improves the transmission of nerve impulses. In addition, it fights well with fears and anxieties, increases efficiency and eliminates asthenia. The medicine is produced in tablets, which are prescribed for children over three years old.
- "Pantogam". This nootropic containing hopantenic acid is produced in syrup and solid form. Its use protects neurons from various negative influences, improves metabolism in nerve cells, and also has an anticonvulsant effect and helps to get rid of enuresis. In syrup, the medication is allowed at any age, and tabletted "Pantogam" is prescribed from 3 years old.
- "Cortexin for Children". The action of this drug is provided by low molecular weight polypeptides that can stimulate neurons and protect them from damaging effects, as well as accelerate the recovery and metabolic processes in brain tissues. The drug is presented only in injectable form, but can be used from birth.
The doctor will tell you more about whether it is possible to take nootropic drugs in childhood in the video below.
