When a respiratory tract infection affects a baby up to a year old, it is quite difficult to cope with the disease. After all, the baby cannot complain to parents about the deterioration of he alth at the initial stage of the disease, and the visit to the doctor, as a rule, occurs already when the disease clearly shows symptoms. If the child coughs heavily, the doctor may prescribe the drug "Prospan". Its analogues can also be recommended. But what exactly are the means used to treat babies, let's try to figure it out.
Why do doctors often prescribe Prospan syrup?
To answer this question, you need to familiarize yourself with the pharmacological characteristics of this drug. Indeed, according to the information contained in the instructions, the drug was created on the basis of a plant component - ivy leaf extract. Due to the presence of glycosides (saponins) in this component, the agent has not only secretolytic, mucolytic and antitussive, but also antispasmodic and mucokinetic effects.
The drug is effective for such ailments of the respiratory system,as chronic and acute bronchitis, asthma, bronchial obstruction syndrome and others. The first therapeutic effect is observed already on the third day of taking the medicine, which, of course, pleases parents and doctors. In addition, the almost complete absence of contraindications and adverse reactions can be attributed to the advantageous characteristics of the drug. But in order to understand whether analogues for children under 1 year old have such advantages, like the Prospan tool, we will consider the material further.
What parents need to know?
Before you begin to study the list of medicines that will help cope with a cough in a child under 1 year old, there are several important points to consider. Firstly, parents should not give the baby any drug without a doctor's prescription, even if the instructions say that the drug is completely safe. After all, any component of the product can cause an allergic reaction in a child. And secondly, while young parents self-medicate, the disease can continue to progress and cause a lot of complications.
Analogues of the drug for infants
So, today there is far from one analogue of Prospan syrup for children. The number of such medicines is quite large, but all of them can be divided into two groups. The first is structural analogues, the active ingredient of which is ivy leaf extract, the second is medicines similar to Prospan in terms of pharmacological characteristics. Let's get acquainted with the most popular representatives of each group morein detail.
Based on the above, it should be noted that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as a guide to action.
Gedelix drug
This remedy is available in the form of drops and syrup. As the main active ingredient in the manufacture of medicines, pharmacists used ivy leaf extract. However, let's focus on the syrup, since only this form of medicine can be used to treat cough in infants.
This analogue of the drug "Prospan" is recommended for babies up to 12 months with diseases such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis and other ailments of the respiratory system, which are accompanied by an unproductive cough. For babies diagnosed with the above diseases, doctors prescribe 2.5 ml 1-2 times a day. In each case, depending on the severity and nature of the course of the disease, the doctor calculates the dosage. Improper adherence to the recommendations of a specialist can cause adverse reactions and aggravate the condition of the crumbs.
Gerbion medicine
If the pharmacy does not have Prospan, an analogue that a pharmacist can recommend, in particular the medicine Gerbion (ivy syrup), there is no need to rush to purchase. After all, even though these two medicines are similar in structure and can be used to treat babies under 1 year old, they have completely different auxiliary components.
So, unlike the "Prospan" tool, the analogue of "Gerbion" cancause adverse reactions such as skin rash, digestive upset, and swelling and hyperemia of the mucous membranes and epidermis.
However, if this remedy was prescribed by the attending physician who performed the diagnostics, and he clearly wrote down the rules for admission, parents should not worry. Strict adherence to the dosing system and other recommendations of a specialist will avoid the negative impact of the drug components on the child's body.
Evkabal drug
This medicine is produced in Germany. It is based on two plant components that complement each other. The first is thyme extract, which, due to the presence of phenols and phytoncides in the composition, has a bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect. In addition, thyme essential oils help to thin viscous sputum and remove it from the respiratory system, by activating the motor activity of the epithelium cilia. This analogue of "Prospan" from dry cough is effective in diseases such as chronic and acute pharyngin, tracheitis, bronchitis, etc. As for the second active substance, it is psyllium extract. This herbal substance relieves irritation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi and trachea.
The medicine can be prescribed to both adult patients and children from 6 months. The duration of the course of therapy and dosage is determined by the doctor. In addition, the specialist should familiarize the adult patient or the parents of a small patient with information aboutpossible side effects.
Medication "Ambroxol"
If the crumbs have a strong unproductive cough, the doctor may recommend not only the use of Prospan. Analogues cheaper for children, such as Ambroxol, are also prescribed for babies.
This medication is effective for respiratory ailments of various etiologies. It not only has a mucolytic effect, but also stimulates the formation of surfactant - a surfactant that covers the lungs. That is why the remedy can be recommended even to premature babies with respiratory failure. It is also worth noting that the drug helps to normalize the altered bronchopulmonary secretion and thin the mucus.
Instructions for use recommends giving crumbs syrup twice a day, 2.5 ml each, but it would be more correct if the pediatrician calculates the dosing system. This will allow you to quickly achieve a therapeutic effect without harming the child's body.
As for the adverse reactions that Ambroxol can have, they occur very rarely and manifest themselves in the form of vomiting and nausea.
Means "Ambrohexal"
This medicine has a mucolytic effect and is prescribed for colds, which are accompanied by a cough, as well as for chronic and acute bronchopulmonary diseases, which are characterized by poor progression of viscous sputum. Like the Prospan remedy, the Ambrohexal analogue can be used in pediatrics for the treatment of children withbirth. Its main active ingredient is ambroxol, which helps to thin and remove mucus from the respiratory tract.
With strict adherence to the dosing system and other doctor's recommendations, the medicine is very well tolerated. Only in isolated cases can adverse reactions occur in the form of stool disorders, vomiting and heartburn.
Drug "Lazolvan"
Many people know about the effectiveness of this remedy, and this is a merit not only of the positive pharmacological properties of the drug, but also of the works of advertising companies. After all, at the heart of the drug "Lazolvan" pharmacists used the same ambroxol, which was mentioned above. It is due to the presence of this active ingredient that the drug has an expectorant, secretolytic and secretomotor effect.
Prescribe the drug to patients with acute and chronic respiratory system diseases, which are accompanied by viscous sputum discharge. In other words, the medicine can be recommended for COPD, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.
If a small child needs to use the medication, the doctor independently calculates the dosage and sets the rules for taking it.
Conclusion
If the baby fell ill and the doctor prescribed the drug "Prospan" (syrup), it is strictly forbidden to choose cheaper analogues on your own. After all, even though the modern range of available medicines allows you to do this, you cannot endanger your baby.
Even when the recommended drugfor some reason, it cannot be purchased; it is dangerous to use an analogue without consulting a specialist. After all, each of the drugs described above has individual characteristics of the impact on the patient's body.
