With the cold and flu season approaching, many mothers are thinking about protecting their son or daughter from viral infections. For prophylactic purposes, as well as for the treatment of ARVI, various immunomodulatory drugs are used, the representative of which can be called Grippferon in the form of nose drops. Is it allowed to treat children with such a remedy and in what dosage is the drug used for prevention?
Release form
Grippferon in the form of nasal drops is presented as a transparent solution, poured into plastic bottles of 5 or 10 ml. This liquid is usually colorless, but can be light yellow in color. The bottle has a dropper that helps to accurately measure a single dose of the drug.
Composition
The main component of the drug is recombinant interferon alfa-2b. It is contained in each milliliter of drops at a dose of at least 10,000 IU. To it are added povidone, sodium chloride, purified water and macrogol 4000. Also, auxiliary substances of Grippferon are potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium dodecahydrite hydrogen phosphate and disodium edetate dihydrate.
Operating principle
Grippferon drops are classified as immunomodulatory agents, which have antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects. After instillation into the nose, the drug enters the bloodstream in a very small amount, which is not even determined by tests, therefore the effect of such a drug is exclusively local.
Indications
The main reason for dripping Grippferon into the nose of a child or adult is the treatment of influenza and other viral lesions of the upper respiratory tract. In addition, such a medicine is in demand for prevention.
From what age is it allowed to take?
The medication is considered harmless to the child's body, therefore it can be prescribed even for children under one year old. In this case, a doctor's consultation before using this medicine in a child is still desirable.
Contraindications
Drops are not prescribed for children with intolerance to interferon or any other component of the drug. Also, do not treat small patients with severe allergies with this remedy.
And now Dr. Komarovsky will tell us about children's antiviral drugs.
Side effects
Some children react to medication with an allergic reaction. Other side effects from such drops are not recorded.
Instructions for use
Treatment
It is advised to start dripping Grippferon as soon as the first symptoms of a viral infection appear. The duration of the use of the medication is 5 days. The dosage and frequency of instillation depends on the age of the child:
- For children of the first year of life, the medicine is administered in 1 drop (1000 IU) into each nostril 5 times a day, that is, the daily dosage is 5000 IU.
- For a 1-3-year-old child, 2 drops of the drug are dripped into each nasal passage, and the frequency of the procedure is 3 or 4 times a day. The baby receives 2000 IU of interferon at a time, and from 6000 to 8000 IU per day.
- A single dosage at the age of 3 to 14 years is also 2 drops, but the frequency of use increases up to 4-5 times, therefore, from 8000 to 10000 IU of interferon comes out per day.
- For children over 14 years old, 3 drops of Grippferon are injected into each nostril, which corresponds to 3000 IU of the active substance. The manipulation is carried out 5 or 6 times a day, therefore, in total, the patient receives from 15,000 to 18,000 IU of the active ingredient per day.
Having instilled the medication into the child's nose, then you need to massage the wings of the nose, gently pressing them with your fingers for several minutes. This will help the drops to spread more evenly over the mucous membrane.
Prevention
The drug can be used during the season of viral infections by instilling it in the morning every day or every other day in the single dosage recommended for treatment. If the child has had contact with a patient or he is supercooled, the frequency of instillation changes - it is recommended to drip the agent in an age-specific single dose twice a day every day.
Overdose
The manufacturer does not provide data on the negative effect of too large doses of Grippferon.
Interaction with other drugs
It is not necessary to use simultaneously Grippferon and intranasal drugs with a vasoconstrictor effect, since such a combination of drugs will dry out the mucous membrane.
Terms of sale
To buy Grippferon for a child in a pharmacy, you do not need to present a prescription from a pediatrician. The average price of a bottle of drops is 250 rubles.
Storage conditions and shelf life
If the bottle has not yet been opened, it can be kept at home for the entire shelf life (2 years) in the refrigerator, since the recommended storage temperature is from +2 to +8 degrees. After the first use, the medicine from the unopened bottle can be stored for no longer than 30 days. If after a month the drug is still consumed, it should still be poured out, and it is unacceptable to bury the child in the nose.
Reviews
Grippferon drops receive a lot of good reviews from parents. The drug is praised for its convenient bottle, the ability to use from birth, lack of bitter taste and effective action. Many mothers confirm that the use of drops made it possible to avoid infection with the influenza virus or contributed to a faster recovery from ARVI.
Some parents consider the disadvantages of the medicine to be the high cost and small volume of the bottle, as well as the short shelf life after opening. In addition, there are reviews that mention the lack of effect from treatment with Grippferon.
Analogs
Instead of Grippferon, the doctor may recommend drugs with a similar composition and therapeutic effect, for example:
- Viferon. This medicine also contains alpha interferon and is often prescribed for children with viral diseases, candidiasis and other diseases. It comes in the form of suppositories that can be used at any age, including premature babies. The medicine is also represented by gel (prescribed from birth) and ointment (allowed from 1 year).
- Genferon Light. As part of this medication, taurine was added to interferon. It comes in several forms - suppositories, nasal drops, and nasal spray. In drops and suppositories, the drug is used from birth, and the spray form is used in the treatment of adolescents over 14 years old.
