Dexamethasone for children

"Dexamethasone" refers to drugs that can, in some cases, save lives. Such a hormonal agent effectively copes with anaphylactic reaction, bronchospasm, toxic shock and many other dangerous conditions. Not everyone knows when it is prescribed to children, in what form it is used, what side reactions it can cause in childhood and what the consequences of exceeding its dosage may be.

Release form

Dexamethasone is produced in these forms.

Pills

They are small in size, round, flat and often white in color. One package contains them 10, 20 pieces or more.

Eye drops

They are presented in plastic bottles for 5, 10 ml colorless transparent solution.

Ampoules with solution for injections into a muscle or vein

One ampoule of such a medicine contains 1-2 ml a clear solution that is often colorless, but may be slightly yellowish. One box includes 5 or 10 ampoules.

Composition

The main component of any form of medication is dexamethasone in the form of sodium phosphate. This compound is contained in 1 ml of injection solution in a dose of 4 mg, and in one tablet in an amount of 500 μg (0.5 mg). The concentration of such a substance in eye drops is 0.1%, which corresponds to 1 mg per 1 ml of solution.

In addition to the active compound, the injection solution contains sterile water, sodium hydrogen phosphate, disodium edetate and glycerol. The eye drops include additional ingredients such as benzalkonium chloride, disodium edetate, water, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, and boric acid. Tablet form auxiliaries are lactose, corn starch, colloidal silicon dioxide, povidone, talc and magnesium stearate.

Operating principle

Dexamethasone, which is a glucocorticoid hormone, has a very strong anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Such a substance blocks the release and reduces the activity of compounds called inflammatory mediators. Under its influence, cellular immune reactions are inhibited, due to a decrease in the permeability of cell membranes and capillary walls, "Dexamethasone" has an antiexudative effect. In addition, it participates in metabolic processes and affects the work of the pituitary gland.

A strong anti-inflammatory effect is also seen when used topically. The use of the drug for inhalation with a nebulizer directly affects the respiratory tract, which leads to a decrease in throat swelling and elimination of bronchospasm.

Eye drops act only on the mucous membrane of the eyes, suppressing the local inflammatory reaction that occurs during immune, chemical or mechanical damage.

Sometimes these drops are prescribed for a runny nose and sinusitis, if such diseases have a protracted course or an allergic nature. In this case "Dexamethasone" used to eliminate nasal congestion (for emergency care), as well as for adenoids, sinusitis or otitis media.

In addition, in some cases, ENT doctors include such a drug in complex drops. In their recipes, the hormone is combined with antiseptics, antibacterial agents, vasoconstrictor drugs and other drugs - for example, they combine Dexamethasone, "Xilen" and "Dioxidin".

Indications

Injections of "Dexamethasone" intramuscularly or intravenously are prescribed in acute cases or in situations where ingestion is impossible. In other cases, a tablet form is used.

The drug is effective:

For anaphylactic shock or other severe allergies.
With cerebral edema caused by trauma, surgery, meningitis, tumor and other factors.
With insufficiency of the adrenal cortex.
With toxic, burn or traumatic shock.
With severe bronchospasm or status asthmaticus.
For rheumatic or systemic diseases.

With severe forms of dermatoses.
With Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
With hemolytic anemia and other blood diseases.
With glomerulonephritis.
For severe infections.
With leukemia and other neoplasms.

The injection form can also be used topically, for example, injected into a soft tissue lesion, a joint, or eye tissue. For an urgent decrease in body temperature, a lytic mixture with "Dexamethasone", the components of which are "Analgin" and "Diphenhydramine".

Eye drops are used for keratitis, conjunctivitis, iritis, uveitis and other diseases of the organ of vision. Inhalation with "Dexamethasone" is prescribed by doctors for obstructive bronchitis, barking cough, false croup (laryngeal stenosis). The drug is poured into a nebulizer together with saline and the procedure is carried out for 5-10 minutes.

From what age is it allowed to take?

If there are serious indications for the use of "Dexamethasone", such a medication can be prescribed at any age, even a 10-month-old or one-year-old child. In this case, treatment with such a hormonal agent should be only under medical supervision (both for children under one year old and for an older child). It is unacceptable to give the drug to children without a doctor's prescription.

Contraindications

Any form of "Dexamethasone" is not used in case of hypersensitivity to substances in its composition. The drug is contraindicated in acute viral, fungal or bacterial infections. Eye drops should not be used if the integrity of the cornea is damaged.

Injections and pills are not prescribed for vaccination (when using live vaccines) and for Itsenko-Cushing's syndrome. Injections are prohibited for serious problems with hemostasis, and because of the lactose content, tablets are not prescribed for violations of carbohydrate metabolism.

Patients with arterial hypertension, tuberculosis, renal failure, epilepsy, peptic ulcer disease, hypothyroidism, liver failure and some other pathologies require caution in prescribing the drug. If the child has some kind of chronic illness, the question of the appointment of "Dexamethasone" should be decided by a specialist on an individual basis.

Side effects

Treatment with Dexamethasone can provoke:

An allergic reaction, such as hives or dermatitis.
Headaches, neuropathies, dizziness and other negative symptoms from the nervous system.
Nausea, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis and other gastrointestinal problems.
Suppression of growth processes in the child's body.
Activation of infectious or parasitic diseases.
Insufficiency of the adrenal glands.

Cataract or glaucoma.
Heart disorders such as bradycardia, heart failure, or extrasystole.
Weight gain, hyperglycemia, water retention and other metabolic disorders.
Increased blood pressure.
Weakness or muscle atrophy.
Mental disorders.
Slowing wound healing, thinning of the skin, the appearance of stretch marks and acne.
Decreased levels of lymphocytes, eosinophils, platelets or monocytes.

In addition, there may be a local reaction to the drug, such as a burning sensation during the injection or skin redness after the injection. If you cancel the drug abruptly, this will lead to the development of a withdrawal syndrome, manifested by a decrease in blood pressure, nausea, headache, and other negative symptoms.

Instructions for use

The dosage of the drug in each case is selected individually, taking into account the type of disease, the tolerance of hormonal treatment, the patient's response to therapy and other factors. For children, the dose must be calculated by body weight. Often, the calculation is made based on the surface area of the body. Having determined the daily amount of "Dexamethasone", it is divided into 3-4 doses, thus determining a single dose of the medication.

Overdose

If you exceed the prescribed dose of the medicine, it will lead to increased blood pressure, edema, hyperglycemia, impaired consciousness and other symptoms. Treatment in such a situation is prescribed symptomatic.

Drug interaction

"Dexamethasone" should not be combined with many other drugs, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, macrolides, ketoconazole, frothinolones, phenytoin, thiazide diuretics, antihypertensive drugs, heparin and other drugs. A complete list of them is included in the instructions for the medication.

Terms of sale

To purchase any form of Dexamethasone, you must first obtain a prescription from your doctor. The price of a package of 25 ampoules is on average 200 rubles, and a box of 10 tablets is about 40 rubles.

Storage conditions and shelf life

Keep ampoules, drops or tablets of "Dexamethasone" at home at temperatures below +25 degrees. The place where the medicine is stored must be inaccessible to the child. The shelf life of the injection form and tablets is 5 years, eye drops - 3 years (after opening - no longer than 28 days)

Reviews

There are many positive reviews about the use of "Dexamethasone" in childhood, in which the drug is called effective and efficient in inflammatory processes and allergic diseases. The disadvantages of the drug include the frequent occurrence of side effects and the high risk of overdose in childhood.

Analogs

Replacement of "Dexamethasone" can be drugs that have the same active substance. These include "Dexamed", "Megadexan", Dexazon, "Maxidex", "Dexapos" and other medicines. They are available in different forms, which allows you to select the required analog. In addition, instead of "Dexamethasone" the doctor may prescribe other drugs from the group of glucocorticoids - for example, drugs based on hydrocortisone, budesonide or mometasone.