Galazolin for children

The most popular group of drugs to combat the common cold are vasoconstrictor drugs. One of the representatives of this group is Galazolin. Is this medication allowed in childhood, in what cases is it prescribed for children and how can it be dangerous for the child's body?

Release form

Galazolin is produced in two forms:

Nasal drops. This is a clear liquid packed in 10 ml bottles without any color. Each bottle is equipped with a dropper and closes with a screw cap.
Nasal gel. It is an almost colorless, viscous liquid that is often clear, but can also be slightly opalescent. One bottle of this gel contains 10 grams of medication. The package is equipped with a special dispenser.

Both forms of the drug are available in two dosages - 0.1% and 0.05%.

Composition

The main component of any form of Galazolin is xylometazoline. In a drug with a concentration of 0.05%, it is represented by an amount of 0.5 mg per 1 gram of gel / 1 ml drops. In a preparation with a concentration of 0.1%, the amount of xylometazoline both in 1 ml of drops and in 1 g of gel is 1 mg.

Most of the excipients in the drops and the gel are the same - they are purified water, sodium dodecahydrate hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate monohydrate, sodium chloride and benzalkonium chloride (50% solution), as well as sorbitol and disodium edetate. In addition to them, hyetellose is still present in the nasal gel.

Operating principle

Xylometazoline in the gel or drops of Galazolin is able to constrict the vessels in the nasal mucosa. This effect is due to the effect of the drug on alpha-adrenergic receptors.

After local treatment with Galazolin:

The swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa is eliminated;
Redness of the mucous membrane decreases;
Eases nasal breathing;
Reduces the volume of nasal discharge.

The therapeutic effect of the medication begins to manifest itself after about five minutes after the injection of the medication into the nose. In this case, the effect of the use of drops lasts up to 6 hours, and after treatment with the gel, it lasts up to 10 hours.

Indications

The use of Galazolin is in demand:

With acute rhinitis caused by viruses;
With acute rhinitis of bacterial genesis;
With hay fever;
With otitis media;
With acute sinusitis;
With an allergic form of rhinitis;
With exacerbation of chronic sinusitis.

Age restrictions

The use of any form of Galazolin is contraindicated in children under 2 years of age. Babies who are 2 years old are prescribed nasal drops with a xylometazoline concentration of 0.05%. From 3 years of age, you can use 0.05% nasal gel. A higher concentration of active compound (0.1%) is contraindicated up to 6 years. In this case, children over six years old are prescribed the drug in drops, and 0.1% gel is allowed only from the age of 12.

Contraindications

Galazolin is not prescribed:

With increased sensitivity of the child to any component of the drug;
With atrophic form of rhinitis;
With tachycardia;
With glaucoma (closed-angle form);
With increased blood pressure;
With past surgery on the meninges.

Nasal drops are also contraindicated in hyperthyroidism, and the gel is used with caution in such a diagnosis. In addition, the increased attention of the doctor requires the appointment of Galazolin in diabetes mellitus or pheochromocytoma.

Side effects

After using Galazolin, a local reaction is possible, which often appears with excessively long treatment or too frequent administration of the drug into the nose. In such situations, the mucous membrane dries up greatly, the patient complains of discomfort and burning. In addition, nasal discharge may worsen, and some children may have nasopharyngeal edema.

In rare cases, treatment with a gel or drops leads to the appearance of systemic adverse reactions in the form of tachycardia, increased blood pressure, nausea, drowsiness, arrhythmias, insomnia, visual impairment and other symptoms. In addition, long-term use of the drug often causes rhinitis medication or depression.

Instructions for use and dosage

Before you drip Galazolin into the nose or inject the gel, you need to clean the nasal passages.
It is allowed to use drops of Galazolin no more than 3 times a day. For children under 6 years of age, you can drip the medicine both once a day and twice a day. Over the age of 6 years, the medication is instilled 2 or 3 times a day.
A single dosage of drops is 1 or 2 drops of 0.05% medicine for a child 2-6 years old and 2 or 3 drops of a 0.1% solution for a child over 6 years old.
The gel is injected into the nose of a small patient with an interval of 8 to 10 hours. At the age of 3-12 years, one injection into each nasal passage of the drug with a concentration of xylometazoline of 0.05% is prescribed, at which 50 μg of the active compound gets into the nose. Teenagers over 12 years old are prescribed 0.1% gel, that is, 100 μg of the active ingredient in each nostril.
Before injecting the gel into the nose, remove the nozzle from the bottle and press the dispenser several times until the gel appears.
The duration of treatment with Galazolin is usually 3-5 days. The maximum allowable period for using the drug is 2 weeks.

Overdose

If you give your child more Galazolin than the doctor prescribed, excess of the drug can enter the stomach and be absorbed, which will lead to the appearance of a pronounced sedative effect (the child becomes drowsy, he has confused consciousness and breathing may be impaired). In addition, such an overdose provokes tachycardia, an increase in blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. If these symptoms occur, you should immediately show the little patient to a doctor.

Interaction with other drugs

Galazolin should not be used in conjunction with drugs that are MAO inhibitors. If the patient received such medications, at least 2 weeks should elapse between their intake and treatment with Galazolin. Also, the drug is incompatible with tricyclic antidepressants. If other sympathomimetics are prescribed at the same time, their therapeutic effect will be enhanced, which is important to take into account when determining the dosage.

Terms of sale

Both the gel and Galazolin drops are classified as over-the-counter drugs. For this reason, they are freely available at most pharmacies. The average price of a bottle with 0.05% drops is 35 rubles, and for a package of 0.05% gel you need to pay about 100-120 rubles.

Storage features

You need to keep Galazolin at home in a place hidden from direct sunlight, where children will not have access. When storing the medicine, the air temperature should not be higher than +25 degrees. The shelf life of nose drops is 4 years, and a sealed package of gel is 3 years. After opening the bottle, the gel can be stored for no longer than 12 weeks.

Reviews

There are many good reviews about the use of Galazolin in children. The medicine is praised for its fast action, lack of smell and taste, pronounced vasoconstrictor effect and low cost. Among the disadvantages of the drug, addiction is most often mentioned, which is why after a few days of treatment the drops or gel no longer help. In addition, many mothers note that the medication greatly dries the mucous membrane.

Analogs

If you need to replace Galazolin, then you can treat a runny nose, otitis media or sinusitis in a child with another drug with the same active ingredient.

Your doctor may prescribe one of these medicines:

Otrivin;
For the nose;
Xilen;
Rinonorm;
Rhinomaris;
Rhinorus;
Xymelin;
Snoop;
Suprima-NOZ;
Dr. Theiss Rinotaiss;
Pharmazoline;
Evkazolin Aqua;
Sanorin-Xylo;
Tizin Xylo;
Rinostop.

Most of these medications are nasal drops, but many are also available as a metered spray. At a dosage of 0.05%, they are prescribed from the age of two, and a solution with a concentration of 0.1% is used in children over 6 years of age. The spray is also often recommended from the age of six. Only drops of Otrivin 0.05%, according to the annotation to such a drug, can be given to a one-year-old baby and older.