Cephalexin for children: instructions for use

Cephalexin is one of the first generation cephalosporin antibiotics. It is often prescribed to adults for various infections, for example, with angina or bronchitis. Such a medication is also in demand in childhood. But many mothers doubt whether it is worth giving this remedy to a child, because it has a rather low price, and cephalosporins have three more generations.

In order for such a drug to really help a small patient, it is worth finding out when its use is justified, what dosages are allowed for children and what harm is possible from using such an antibiotic for the child's body.

Release form

"Cephalexin" is often presented in pharmacies in the form of a suspension and capsules. Previously, the drug was also released in coated tablets. The drug in suspension is not sold in liquid form, but in granules. It is produced by the pharmaceutical company Hemofarm from Serbia.

Such granules have a yellow-orange color, and when combined with water, they produce a yellow-orange suspension that smells like fruit. Such "Cephalexin" is placed in a dark glass bottle with a capacity of 100 ml in an amount of 40 grams and supplemented with a measuring spoon containing 5 ml of suspension. There is also a risk on the spoon to measure out 2.5 ml of such fruit syrup.

"Cephalexin" capsules are produced by Hemofarm, Belmedpreparaty and several Russian pharmaceutical companies. Such a medicine has a dense shell of yellow, green or other gelatin, and inside there is a white or white-yellow granular powder. One package can contain 16 or 30 capsules.

Composition

The main component of "Cephalexin", which provides the drug with antimicrobial action, has the same name. It is contained in the preparation in the form of cephalexin monohydrate. One capsule can hold 250 or 500 mg of this compound, and the dosage of such a substance in 1 ml of suspension is 50 mg, that is, out of five milliliters of liquid medicine, the child will receive 250 mg of the antibiotic.

Inactive substances differ in different forms and from different manufacturers. Granules include flavors, guar gum, citric acid, sodium saccharinate, sucrose and some other components. The capsules contain gelatin, dyes, magnesium stearate, MCC and other substances.

If the child does not tolerate any auxiliary ingredients, their composition must be clarified in the paper instructions for the selected "Cephalexin".

Operating principle

Like other cephalosporin drugs, "Cephalexin" is able to destroy different types of pathogenic bacteria by damaging their cell walls (the drug disrupts their formation). The drug has a high activity in relation to many strains of streptococci, neisseria, staphylococci, E. coli, Klebsiella and other microorganisms.

However, "Cephalexin" may be ineffective if the disease is caused by certain strains of Proteus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Morganella and some other microbes.

Indications

The use of "Cephalexin" is in demand:

with pharyngitis, sore throat, bronchopneumonia, lung abscess, otitis media and other infections of the respiratory system;
with urethritis, pyelonephritis, cystitis and other bacterial infections of the genitourinary organs;
with abscess, pyoderma, boils and other infections of the skin or soft tissues;
with osteomyelitis and joint infection.

At what age is it assigned?

Treatment with "Cephalexin" is allowed from birth, but the drug is prescribed with caution to infants of the first six months. The solid form of the drug can be used from 3 years old, if a single dose for a child, taking into account his weight, is more than 250 mg and the baby has no problems swallowing a capsule (you cannot bite into it and take only a powder), but most often a suspension is preferred at the age of 10 years ...

Contraindications

Treatment with "Cephalexin" is prohibited in case of hypersensitivity to such an antibiotic or other cephalosporin drug. The suspension is also not prescribed for hereditary pathologies of carbohydrate metabolism, because its composition includes sucrose.

If the child has bowel disease or kidney failure, the use of the medication requires medical supervision. The medication should be used with extreme caution if you are allergic to penicillins or drugs of the carbapenem group, as there is a risk of cross-allergic reaction.

Side effects

Taking "Cephalexin" can cause:

erythema, pruritus, angioedema, urticaria, or other allergic reaction;
dry mouth, diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, jaundice and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
thrush in the mouth or intestinal candidiasis;
pseudomembranous colitis or enterocolitis;
weakness, dizziness, hallucinations, nervous excitement and other symptoms of a negative effect on the central nervous system;
leukopenia and thrombocytopenia;
joint pain and other symptoms.

If any of these ailments occurs, it is recommended to consult a doctor and, if necessary, select another antibiotic.

Instructions for use

"Cephalexin" in any form is recommended to be taken before meals, as food affects the absorption time of the active compound. It is best to drink the suspension or capsule 30-60 minutes before a meal. Capsules should be taken with sufficient water.

As the manufacturer notes, for young patients under 10 years old, it is preferable to take a suspension. If a child weighs less than 40 kg, the daily dosage of the drug for him will be 25-100 mg for each kilogram of his body weight.

The correct daily dose should be clarified with a doctor, since it also depends on the severity of the infection.

Having calculated the required amount of milligrams of antibiotic, it is divided into 4 doses. If the child has a skin infection or streptococcal pharyngitis, the daily dosage prescribed by the doctor is divided into two doses. Small patients with a severe course of the disease are prescribed the maximum allowable dosage (100 mg / kg) and divide it into 4-6 doses.

To prepare a liquid medicine from granules, you need to pour water into the bottle until it is marked and mix well. Since the components of the suspension will settle down over time, shaking the contents of the vial is required before each use of such "Cephalexin".

For a child over 10 years old, a single dose of the drug is 250 or 500 mg, therefore it is convenient to give capsules, but if necessary, treatment is also possible in a liquid form. At this dosage, the medication is taken every six hours (four times a day), so the average daily dose of the antibiotic is 1-2 grams. If the disease is severe, the dosage may be increased, but a child over 10 years old should not receive more than 4 g of the active substance per day.

The duration of taking "Cephalexin" depends on the diagnosis and response to therapy, but on average, the drug is prescribed for a period of 7 to 14 days. In cases where the disease is caused by beta-hemolytic streptococci, the antibiotic should be used for at least 10 days.

It is impossible to stop treatment ahead of the term indicated by the doctor, even if the child's condition has returned to normal. In such a situation, there is a risk that the infection will remain untreated, and the microbes will become resistant.

Overdose

Taking too large a dose of Cephalexin can cause stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting. To eliminate these symptoms, it is recommended to take activated charcoal, and if the general condition worsens, the child should be shown to the doctor.

Interaction with other medications

If you take "Cephalexin" together with aminoglycosides, furosemide and other nephrotoxic drugs, the risk of negative effects on the kidneys will increase. When used together with salicylates, antibiotic elimination will slow down. Since "Cephalexin" can affect prothrombin time, it is able to enhance the effects of indirect anticoagulants.

Terms of sale

Any form of "Cephalexin" is sold with a prescription, so you can buy such an antibiotic only after a doctor's examination. The average price of one bottle of granules is 60-70 rubles, and for 16 capsules you need to pay about 80 rubles.

Storage conditions

The shelf life of both granules in a sealed vial and capsules is 3 years. It is recommended to store the medicine at a temperature of + 15 + 25 degrees in a dry place where a small child cannot get it. The finished suspension does not need to be kept in the refrigerator - it does not deteriorate at room temperature for 2 weeks. If 14 days have passed since the granules were diluted with water, the medication must be discarded, even if it has not yet been completely consumed.

Reviews

On the treatment of children with "Cephalexin" they respond mostly well, calling such a medicine affordable and effective. According to mothers, in most cases, the medication quickly helped to get rid of bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia, tonsillitis and other diseases caused by bacteria.

The liquid form of the drug is praised for its pleasant taste, ease of use and the possibility of using even the smallest children. Among the disadvantages of the suspension is usually called a short shelf life after dilution with water, and the body of some babies reacted to "Cephalexin" with negative side symptoms. In addition, there are reviews that note the lack of a therapeutic effect. This happens if the bacterium that caused the infection is insensitive to the active substance of the antibiotic.

About "Cephalexin" in capsules also respond mostly positively. According to the parents, this is an effective, inexpensive antibiotic that has shown itself well for various infectious diseases. But since it is a solid form, it can be difficult for some children to swallow a rather large capsule. In addition, like a suspension, such "Cephalexin" sometimes provokes negative side effects or does not have the desired effect if the disease is provoked by microorganisms resistant to the drug.

Analogs

If it is necessary to replace "Cephalexin" with another cephalosporin antibiotic, the doctor can prescribe drugs of the first generation ("Cefazolin", "Cezolin"), the second generation ("Zinnat", "Axetin", "Cefurus") or the third generation ("Suprax", "Cefotaxime "," Ceftriaxone "," Pancef "," Tsedeks "). Many of them are presented only in powder, which is diluted for intravenous or intramuscular injections, but there are also drugs in suspension or tablets, so it is quite easy to find the right drug for a child of any age.

If the baby has an intolerance to Cephalexin, the doctor will prescribe an antibacterial drug that belongs to a different group, for example, from macrolides or aminoglycosides. However, such drugs have their own characteristics of use, therefore, the choice of an antibiotic as a substitute for "Cephalexin" should be entrusted to your doctor.