"Smecta" refers to the pharmacological group of antidiarrheal agents with an adsorbing therapeutic effect. The drug is used when diarrhea of various origins appears.
"Smecta" is produced in the form of a powder for suspension, which is taken orally. Powder of white shade, has vanilla aroma. The main active ingredient of the drug is dioctahedral smectite, its concentration in one sachet is 3 grams. In addition, the structure of the drug includes additional substances, which include:
- dextrose monohydrate;
- vanillin;
- sodium saccharinate.
There are 10 or 30 medicine paper bags in a package. At what age can "Smecta" be given to a child? The drug is prescribed for infants from 4 weeks of age.
Healing properties
The main active ingredient of the powder has a natural etiology. Smectite dioctahedral has certain biologicaleffects in the gut, which include:
- Enveloping action. With the help of high fluidity, the active ingredient "wraps" the intestinal mucosa, thereby forming a thin film that protects it.
- Normalization of the mucus barrier on the surface of the mucous cavity, due to this, its condition improves, and it is better protected from harmful factors.
- Selective binding of various toxins to the mucosa.
With the help of such pharmacological effects, the powder in the intestine has an antidiarrheal effect and absorbs toxins. In therapeutic concentrations, "Smecta" does not affect intestinal motility. After oral administration of the suspension, the active substance of the drug is not absorbed into the bloodstream and is excreted from the intestine in unchanged form. Therefore, the drug can be given to children, although not all parents know at what age Smektu can be given to babies (from a month).
When "Smecta" is appointed
Suspension should be taken in the following situations:
- Symptomatic treatment of acute diarrhea in children in combination with measures to restore the level of fluid and mineral s alt ions in the body in babies under 1 year old.
- Symptomatic treatment of chronic diarrhea in children and adults.
- Gastroduodenitis (inflammation of the pylorus of the stomach and duodenum).
- Vomiting.
- Gastritis (inflammatory or inflammatory-dystrophic changes in the mucosamembranes of the stomach; a long-term disease, characterized by dystrophic-inflammatory changes, proceeds with impaired regeneration, as well as with atrophy of epithelial cells and replacement of normal glands by fibrous tissue).
- Flatulence (a pathological condition of the body resulting from excessive gas formation and accumulation of gases in the gastrointestinal tract).
In addition, the use of "Smecta" is indicated to eliminate pain in the abdomen, the origin of which is associated with various diseases of the stomach and intestines.
Contraindications
The use of "Smecta" suspension is prohibited in several cases, which include:
- Individual intolerance to any of the components.
- Lactase deficiency (impaired digestion of lactose due to deficiency of the enzyme lactase of the mucous membrane of the small intestine, accompanied by clinical symptoms).
- Lactose intolerance (inability to digest lactose, which is the main sugar found in milk and dairy products).
- Glucose-galactose malabsorption (a rare metabolic disease in which the cells lining the intestines are unable to absorb two specific sugars, such as glucose and galactose).
- Fructose intolerance (a hereditary disease caused by a lack of fructose phosphate aldolase, which leads to an increased accumulation of fructose-1-phosphate in the liver, intestines, kidneys).
- Intestinal obstruction of any origin.
Before you start using the drug, it is important to make sure that there are no contraindications.
How to take the drug
The powder is intended for the preparation of a suspension that is taken orally. To do this, the contents of the sachet should be dissolved in a small amount of water until a homogeneous mass is obtained immediately before use. From what age "Smecta" to give a child, you already know.
When gastroduodenitis drug is used, as a rule, after a meal. For newborns, it is allowed to dissolve the powder in a bottle of water with a volume of 50 milliliters, the medicine should be given to the baby for one day.
From what age do they give "Smecta" to children? Babies can use it from 4 weeks. Dosing depends on how old the child is and medical indications:
- Elimination of acute diarrhea in babies under 1 year old - 2 sachets per day for three days, then 1 sachet per day for several days.
- Elimination of acute diarrhea in children from 1 year old - 4 sachets per day, then after three days, 2 sachets per day, the duration of therapy is several days.
- Therapy of acute diarrhea in adults - 2 sachets three times a day with a further dose reduction of 1 sachet 3 times a day.
The recommended duration of treatment varies from 3 to 7 days. According to other indications, the medication is used in children up to a year, 1 sachet per day, from a year - 2 sachets, for adults - 3 sachets. If necessary, the concentrationthe duration of drug therapy can be prescribed by the doctor on an individual basis.
From what age do they take "Smecta"? Suspension for newborns is often considered the main drug, since most stomach problems appear in the first days of a baby's life.
There are no recommendations in the annotation on how to give a suspension to an infant under the age of 4 weeks, so many young mothers naturally have a question: is it possible for newborns to "Smektu" and will it harm?
Doctors allow mothers to give the drug to the baby, but only under medical supervision. The drug is prescribed for nutritional problems, which are accompanied by flatulence and pain in the stomach, the appearance of diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, children "Smecta" (from what age, it is already known) can be given with jaundice. Dosing is selected by a medical specialist.
When vomiting
When vomiting, children should be given one sachet per day. An adult patient should be taken three times a day to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. For constipation, children reduce the concentration of the drug.
The drug works from the first dose. With diarrhea, the therapeutic effect is manifested after six to twelve hours, with poisoning - after two or three hours, with esophagitis - within thirty minutes.
Toto consolidate the therapeutic effect, therapy must be continued for at least three days.
Adverse reactions
As a rule, "Smecta" is well tolerated. In rare situations, when using the drug, constipation may occur, the severity of which can be reduced by adjusting the dose.
The appearance of allergic reactions in the form of rashes on the skin, itching, nettle rash, swelling of soft tissues was somewhat less common.
If such negative effects occur, the use of the medication must be stopped and consult a doctor who will determine the possibility of further therapy with Smecta.
Recommendations
Before suspension therapy, it is important to carefully read the instructions for use. There are several features regarding the use of the medicine that you need to pay attention to:
- The drug is used with caution in people with chronic constipation.
- For adult patients with diarrhea using a suspension, rehydration procedures are prescribed as needed.
- For young children, a set of rehydration measures when using the medicine is prescribed individually, depending on the age of the baby.
- The time interval between the use of "Smecta" and other drugs should be at least two hours.
- The drug is not prohibited for pregnant women and breastfeeding for medical reasons. In this case, the adjustment of the concentration of the drug is not required.
- Informationabout the impact of "Smecta" on the speed of psychomotor reactions and attention no.
In pharmacies, the powder for the preparation of the suspension is dispensed without a prescription from a specialist. Questions regarding the use of a medicine are considered grounds for consulting a doctor.
With a strong excess of the pharmacological concentration of the drug, constipation is possible. In this situation, symptomatic treatment is carried out, which is aimed at softening the stool.
Pregnancy and lactation
The drug can be used by pregnant women. According to the annotation to the drug, in an interesting position, there is no need to adjust the regimen of use and dose.
Pregnant medication is used to eliminate heartburn, as well as to stabilize digestion, prevent the appearance of intestinal candidiasis with a decrease in immunity and prevent toxicosis.
It has been scientifically proven that the active ingredient of the drug does not have a detrimental effect on prenatal development and is completely harmless to the fetus.
If necessary, if the doctor does not give other appointments, you can use "Smecta" one sachet three times a day. Five days are usually enough to reduce the acidity of gastric juice and stabilize the production of digestive enzymes. Can a woman take Smecta powder during lactation? The drug is approved for use during breastfeeding and can be used in standard dosages.
Use "Smecta" with alcoholic beverages
The active substance of the drug reduces the rate of absorption of alcohol. To reduce intoxication before the feast, you need to use two or three bags of "Smecta".
To prevent a hangover, the medicine is taken after drinking strong drinks.
If after using the suspension for thirty minutes there was vomiting, the reception of "Smecta" is repeated in a double dosage. In case of alcohol poisoning, you need to provoke vomiting, and then use three sachets of "Smecta".
Drug substitutes
Medicines similar in action to "Smecta":
- "Neosmectin".
- "Diosmectite".
- "Bent".
- Activated carbon.
- "Enterosgel".
- "Polysorb".
- "Enterol".
- "Loperamide".
- "Imodium".
Before replacing Smecta with another antidiarrheal medicine, you should consult a doctor.
"Smecta" or activated carbon?
These are drugs that have sorption properties. But "Smekta" in comparison with activated carbon has many positive nuances. For example, this medication is different in that, while removing toxic substances, it does not take important trace elements from the body.
Activated charcoal, along with pathogens, also removes beneficial bacteria, without which the gastrointestinal tract cannot function properly as a result. The active substance "Smecta" helps to create the most favorable conditions in the body for the development of beneficial microflora.
In addition, "Smekta" acts gently, the medicine envelops the walls of the digestive canal, and also protects them from harmful effects, while activated charcoal has a rigid structure, it can additionally "injure" them.
Storage conditions, price
Smekta's shelf life is 3 years. It must be kept in a dry, hard-to-reach place for children at a temperature of no more than +25 degrees. The cost of the drug varies from 150 to 350 rubles.
Consumer opinions
So, we have considered at what age you can "Smektu" and what kind of remedy it is. This is an original drug that contains a natural component of diosmectite as an active substance.
Most of the responses are reviews of "Smecta" for young patients, and in particular for newborns. Acting instantly and gently, the drug eliminates the unpleasant signs of poisoning, neutralizes heartburn, and eliminates digestive problems of infectious origin. Therefore, according to the reviews of many parents, in families where there are kids, "Smekta" must be in first-aid kits.
Positive reviews are explained by the pleasant taste and ease of use of the medicine for young children, as well asgood tolerance, a minimum of contraindications and the ability to significantly reduce the duration of the disease and the cost of treatment.
"Smecta" is an effective drug in the elimination of gastroesophageal reflux in babies in the first four weeks of life, and is also recommended for use as a prophylaxis to prevent the occurrence of chronic diarrhea in patients with cancer who are undergoing treatment.
