For sore throat and inflammation in the oral cavity, adults actively use local remedies, one of which is Hexoral. Can this spray be used for children and how is this medicine dosed in childhood?
Release form
Spray Hexoral is a clear, light liquid that smells like menthol. It is placed in an aluminum aerosol can, lacquered on the inside. The cardboard box contains one bottle and one nozzle for spraying medication, as well as instructions.
Separately, the manufacturer offers a spray in a family package. The difference between this form is the inclusion in the package of not one, but four individual attachments of different colors at once. This allows a family of four to use one aerosol can without the risk of infection from each other.
In addition to the spray, the medicine is available in the form of a solution, as well as in tablets. The solution has a similar composition and is prescribed from the age of three. The tablet form of the drug includes completely different active substances and is represented by several types of tablets (Classic, Extra), and is also allowed from 6 years old.
Composition
The main substance of the drug is represented by the antiseptic hexetidine. Its dosage per 100 ml of medication is 0.2 g, that is, the concentration of the drug is 0.2%. Among the auxiliary compounds in the composition of the spray, you can see sodium saccharinate, polysorbate 80, eucalyptus oil and levomenthol. Also, the drug includes citric acid, nitrogen, purified water, ethyl alcohol (96%), sodium hydroxide and sodium calcium edetate.
Operating principle
The medicine is an antiseptic with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial and antifungal effects. When used topically, the active substance of the spray suppresses metabolic processes in microbial cells (oxidative reactions), as a result of which bacteria die.
The drug is highly effective against gram-positive flora and candida fungi. Microbial resistance to this agent rarely develops. Also, the spray helps in the treatment of infections caused by proteus, pseudomonads, RS viruses, herpes viruses and other pathogens. In addition, the drug has a small but anesthetic effect.
Indications
Spray treatment is prescribed when:
- Angina.
- Gingivitis.
- Periodontal disease.
- Stomatitis.
- Periodontitis.
- Tonsillitis.
- Pharyngitis.
- Glossite.
- Thrush in the mouth.
- Colds.
About how else you can cure a sore throat, says Dr. Komarovsky:
The drug is also used after tooth extraction and other operations in the mouth or larynx. The spray is also in demand as a hygiene product, for example, if you want to eliminate bad breath.
At what age is it allowed to take
Treatment with Hexoral spray is not recommended under the age of 3 years. If local treatment with an antiseptic medicine is required at an earlier age, for example, up to a year, you should contact your pediatrician and choose a drug that will not pose a danger to the baby's health.
For children 3-6 years old, the spray should be prescribed only by a doctor.
The main criteria for the possibility of application in this age range are the following nuances:
- The child does not object to the introduction of the spray nozzle into the mouth.
- The child will be able to hold his breath upon request.
Contraindications
The use of the spray is not recommended for erosive changes in the oral mucosa. Also, the remedy is contraindicated in children who have an individual high sensitivity to any component of the medication.
Side effects
After treatment of the mucous membrane, the drug is almost not absorbed, therefore, it does not have a systemic effect if the recommendations are followed. In very rare cases, after applying the spray, a child may have urticaria, shortness of breath, cough, nausea, a feeling of dry mouth, impaired taste perception, vomiting and other symptoms. Local reactions to aerosol rarely include discoloration of teeth or tongue, blistering, inflammation, burning, irritation, or ulceration.
If a child develops these or other side effects, you should immediately contact a healthcare professional.
Instructions for use and dosage
At the age of 3 to 6 years, the dosage and frequency of application of the spray is determined by the pediatrician on an individual basis. Children who are six years old should inject Hexoral twice a day. The child is asked to hold his breath, and then one irrigation is performed for 1-2 seconds.
Since after treatment hexetidine covers the mucous membrane and exerts its therapeutic effect, it is inappropriate to take food after using the spray. Annotation to the preparation recommends irrigation after meals.
To spray the medicine on the mucous membrane of the pharynx or mouth, you need:
- Install the injection nozzle on the cylinder.
- Direct the end of this nozzle to the place requiring antiseptic treatment.
- Always hold the bottle upright (instructions include a drawing showing the correct position of the bottle).
- Introduce the desired spray dose by pushing on the spray nozzle head. In this case, the child should not breathe.
The duration of treatment with the drug should be agreed with the doctor, since with some pathologies, only a few days of treatment are enough, and some diseases require a long use of the spray.
Overdose
A very high dose of hexetidine does not have a toxic effect on the patient's body, but an overdose of the drug due to the presence of ethyl alcohol in its composition can lead to alcohol intoxication. If no more than two hours have passed after swallowing the exceeded dose of the medicine, it is recommended to flush the stomach. Further, symptomatic treatment is used to help with ethanol intoxication.
Interaction with other drugs
The manufacturer does not provide data on the possibility of combining the spray with any other medicines.
Terms of sale
You do not need to get a prescription from a doctor to buy a medicine at a pharmacy. On average, the price for one bottle varies from 270 to 340 rubles.
Storage conditions and shelf life
At home, Hexoral should be stored at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees Celsius. The place where the balloon will stand should not be easily accessible for a small child.
Remember that the aerosol is under pressure inside the container, therefore it is unacceptable to pierce, open or burn the container, even if the contents are completely used up.
If the expiration date, which is 3 years, has expired, the manufacturer recommends placing the container in a bag and taking it into the trash container, but not throwing it out on the street and not pouring the contents of the container down the drain.
From the first application of the aerosol, the shelf life is reduced to 6 months. If more than six months have passed after the first treatment, the can should be discarded, even if there is still medicine inside.
Reviews
Mothers respond mostly well to the use of Geksoral in children. They confirm the high efficiency of such an antiseptic and quick relief for sore throat. The advantages of the drug include double use, acceptable cost, rare side effects and convenient packaging.
According to parents, the aerosol accelerates recovery from angina, stomatitis and other diseases. As for the cons of the drug, some children do not like its taste. In addition, there are cases when the child did not restrain himself and inhaled the drug, which led to an attack of suffocation.
In most cases, children tolerate the medication well. Side effects such as burning, redness or nausea are very rare in young patients. Only in a few reviews did mothers mention the occurrence of an allergy to the drug, which is why it had to be replaced with a drug similar in effect without hexetidine.
Analogs
As a replacement for Hexoral spray, you can use other medicines based on hexetidine.
These include:
- Stopangin... It is represented by a 0.2% spray, as well as a solution with an antiseptic concentration of 0.1%. The drug in solution is used for rinsing from the age of 6, and aerosol spraying is allowed from the age of 8.
- Stomatidin... This antiseptic preparation is produced in a solution containing 1 mg of hexetidine in 100 ml of liquid. Gargles with this red liquid are prescribed for ages 5 and older.
- Maxicold Lore... This medication is produced in the form of a 0.2% spray that smells like menthol. Treatment with this remedy is allowed from the age of three.
In addition, local treatment can be carried out with other drugs with antimicrobial and antiseptic action. Among them, Lugol, Yoks, Hexasprey, Anti-Angin Formula, Cameton and Oralsept are especially popular.
Some of these drugs are cheaper, while others are not inferior in cost to Hexoral. In addition, they have different active ingredients and different contraindications. For this reason, it is recommended to select a suitable analogue together with a doctor who is well aware of the child's health. He will be able to tell you which antiseptic solution, spray or tablet preparation will be an adequate replacement and will speed up recovery.
