Ksizal is one of the most popular modern medicines for allergies. It is approved for use in children, and especially for small patients is available in the form of drops. In what cases is it prescribed for babies, how is it dosed and with what, if necessary, is it replaced?
Release form and composition
Ksizal in the form of drops is produced in glass bottles equipped with a dropper. One such bottle contains a slightly opalescent or colorless liquid. One bottle holds 10 ml or 20 ml of medicine.
The active ingredient of this medication is levocetirizine in the form of dihydrochloride. Its content in 1 ml of drops is 5 mg. Additionally, the preparation includes glycerol, acetic acid, sodium saccharinate and other substances. In pediatrics, this medicine is prescribed for children over 2 years old.
In addition to drops, Ksizal is also available in solid form. These are oval tablets in a white shell, which are sold in 7-20 pieces per pack. Each such tablet contains 5 mg of levocetirizine. This form of medication is prescribed to children from the age of 6, since it is impossible to divide the pill into halves.
Operating principle
The active substance Xizal blocks receptors for histamine, a substance that acts as the main mediator of allergies. In addition, under the action of the drug, vascular permeability decreases, and the movement of eosinophils is less active. The drug also affects the release of other substances that support the activity of inflammation. As a result of the use of drops, manifestations of an allergic reaction are reduced, edema and itching are eliminated.
Indications
Ksizal drops are used as a symptomatic medicine for:
- Allergic rhinitis.
- Pollinosis.
- Allergic skin lesions, which are manifested by rash and itching.
- Hives.
- Allergic form of conjunctivitis.
- Quincke's edema.
Contraindications
The medication is not given to patients with the last stage of renal failure, as well as with hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the drops. Any kidney disease in a child requires the close attention of a doctor and a change in dosage when Ksizal is prescribed.
Side effects
If the dose of Ksizal is not exceeded, then the sedative effect in most patients does not appear. Only occasionally, when treating with drops, do children complain of headaches or abdominal pain.
Sometimes babies become weak and drowsy after taking the drug. The same side effects as nervous agitation, nausea, heart palpitations, muscle pain, itching, diarrhea, cramps and others are extremely rare.
Instructions for use
Ksizal in liquid form is taken orally, dripping a certain amount of drops of the medication into a teaspoon. The medicine is recommended to be drunk on an empty stomach or with meals. If necessary, the agent is allowed to be diluted with a small volume of clean water.
The dose depends on age:
- A child 2-6 years old is given 5 drops at one time. Since the medication is taken twice a day, the daily dosage for such a baby will be 10 drops.
- Children over the age of six should be given 20 drops per day. Also, such small patients can replace the liquid drug with tablets. The daily dose of such Ksizal will be 1 tablet.
The duration of drug use is influenced by the diagnosis and course of the disease. For example, if a child has hay fever, then drops are prescribed for a period from 7 days to 6 weeks, and with atopic dermatitis, the medication is usually taken for a long time (up to 1.5 years).
Overdose
If you give the child drops in a higher dose, it will lead to a restless and agitated state, which will be followed by periods of sleepiness.
If an overdose is found, the baby's stomach should be immediately washed out or vomited, and then given activated charcoal. If the child's condition has worsened, you need to seek medical attention.
Drug interactions
It can be taken with erythromycin, diazepate, azithromycin, and many other medicines. When prescribed with medications that depress the central nervous system, it is possible to enhance such an effect on the brain. The combination with other drugs has not been studied.
Terms of sale and storage
To buy Ksizal drops at a pharmacy, you must first get a prescription from a pediatrician, allergist or other specialist. The average price of a bottle with 10 ml of the drug is 400-450 rubles.
You can store a sealed medication at home for 3 years from the date of release by finding a dry place with a temperature below +30 degrees.
It is also important to ensure that babies do not have access to such a place.
After the first use, the manufacturer recommends storing the medicine for no longer than 3 months. If there is still liquid in the bottle opened 3 months ago, discard it. Giving children an expired medication is unacceptable.
Reviews
Parents respond generally well to the treatment of children with the liquid form of Ksizal. They confirm that such a medication is quite effective for allergic lesions of the nasopharynx or eyes, as well as for atopic dermatitis and other allergic diseases. Almost all mothers call the drop shape very convenient to use. Most children swallow the drug without problems, even without dilution with water.
The disadvantages of the product, according to the parents, are its high cost and short shelf life after opening. The side effect of the drug on the child's body is very rare, but sometimes the drug provokes drowsiness or an allergic reaction in some children.
Analogs
Instead of Ksizal, you can use the drug Suprastinex, which is also available in drops and coated tablets. It has the same active ingredient, so the indications, age restrictions, possible side effects and contraindications for these drugs are the same.
Also, the doctor may recommend other medicines from the group of histamine receptor blockers to a child with allergies:
- Claritin syrup. This medication containing loratadine is prescribed for children over 2 years of age. It is also represented by tablets that can be prescribed from the age of three.
- Zyrtec drops. This cetirizine-based drug is most often chosen instead of Xizal for children under 2 years of age, since it is approved from the age of six months. Its analogue is Zodak drops, but they are recommended only for children over a year old.
- Drops Fenistil. Such a medication containing dimetindene is also in demand as an analogue in babies under 2 years old, because it can be used in children over 1 month old.
- Erius syrup. This desloratadine-based sweet medicine has been approved since 1 year.
Dr. Komarovsky talks in detail about antihistamines for children in his program.
