Many parents today, unfortunately, are faced with such a serious problem as an allergy in a child. When this unpleasant disease is detected, pediatricians usually prescribe their little patients, including various kinds of medications. For example, quite often, with allergies, Ketotifen is prescribed to a child. Parents' reviews about the product are not bad, they note its effectiveness and softness of action.
What drug?
Represents the medicine "Ketotifen" generic of the popular Swiss drug "Zaditen". That is, it has an absolutely identical composition to this drug, but it is not branded. Ketotifen is produced by Russian and Belarusian companies and is much cheaper than Zaditen.
Can Ketotifen help a child: reviews
In Russia, this drug is actually very popular. According to many parents, this remedy often helps children with allergies better than other medicines for the same purpose. Some netizens consider this drug somewhat outdated. However, in most cases, parents still note that it is almost always effective for allergies.
For example, it is believed that taking "Ketotifen" for children with dermatitis can be very useful. Reviews of this medicine have earned good ones from those parents whose children suffer from allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, etc. The only thing is that users advise parents to give this medicine to children exclusively in the way the doctor recommended. Otherwise, it will most likely not be useful.
In addition to the effectiveness of the action, the advantages of "Ketotifen" parents include, of course, and its low cost. The price for one package of such tablets, for example, usually does not exceed 50 rubles.
Form and composition
This medicine can be supplied to pharmacies in the form of syrup, tablets or eye drops. Its main active ingredient is ketotifen itself. One tablet of this component contains 1 mg (Zaditen contains 2 mg). At the same time, manufacturers include 1 mg / 5 ml of the active substance in the composition of the syrup. Ketotifen eye drops contains 0.25 mg/ml.
Also, of course, various additional components are included in the composition of this medicine. It can be, for example, starch, lactose monohydrate, sodium chloride, etc. For the treatment of children, according to the manufacturer's instructions, all three dosage forms of this drug can be used.
How it affects the body
What happens after Ketotifen enters the child's body? In the reviews, parents note, as already mentioned, its mildness of action. After taking this medicine, its active substance begins to stabilize mast cells in the child's body. This in turn leads to a cessation of the production of histamine and other mediators of allergy and inflammation.
With all this, the drug effectively prevents asthmatic attacks. This medicine acts on the body of adults and children in a completely different way than popular traditional antihistamines. To achieve the desired effect, the active substance "Ketotifen" must accumulate in the child's body.
Doctors usually prescribe a course of treatment with this drug for children within 2-3 months. In order for this remedy to work effectively, it must be taken regularly and without interruption.
This medicine does not have a bronchodilatory effect on the body of patients. However, the drug is able to effectively prevent bronchospasm. Despite the fact that this remedy refers to a long-acting drug, it can also have an instant effect. This drug prevents bronchospasm within about 1.5-2 hours after ingestion.
Indications for use in children
Pediatricians usually prescribe this medicine if the child has the following problems:
- allergic rhinitis;
- atopic dermatitis;
- atopic bronchialasthma;
- urticaria;
- allergic bronchitis;
- seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.
In all these cases, children can be prescribed both tablets and Ketotifen syrup. With allergic conjunctivitis, pediatricians usually prescribe the drug in the form of eye drops to children.
What are the contraindications
Why children are prescribed Ketotifen is now clear. But is it always possible to use this medicine to treat allergies? Like any other drug, Ketotifen, of course, has its own contraindications. These may include, for example:
- individual intolerance to any components;
- pregnancy and lactation.
According to the instructions for use for children, "Ketotifen" in the form of a syrup cannot be prescribed if they are not yet 6 months old. Pills and eye drops can only be prescribed by pediatricians to patients over 3 years of age.
What you need to know
Unlike the branded drug "Zaditena", the composition of the generic "Ketotifen" as an additional substance may include not corn, but potato or wheat starch. Unfortunately, individual intolerance to these two components in children is quite common. Of course, in this case, the drug "Ketotifen" itself can cause the development of an allergy in a child. That is, from taking it to the baby will only get worse. Parents need to be aware of this, of course. There may be hypersensitivity, of course, to other components of this medicine.
In some cases, it is possible to give Ketotifen to a child for allergies, but with caution. For example, only under the supervision of a doctor, this medicine should be taken by children with liver diseases, as well as those suffering from epilepsy.
Tablets "Ketotifen": instructions for use for children and adults
The patients take the medicine in this form orally with meals. In this case, adults are usually prescribed 1 mg 2 times a day in the morning and evening. In some cases, the dosage may be increased up to 2 mg twice a day on the advice of a physician.
Children, as already mentioned, this drug is only allowed to be given from the age of three. Pediatricians prescribe this medicine to their young patients, usually also in the amount of 1 mg. At this dose, Ketotifen is supposed to be given to the child twice a day. In this case, patients also need to take medicine in the morning and evening. At the same time, patients should drink "Ketotifen" with meals.
In most cases, the course of treatment with this drug for children lasts at least 3 months. At the same time, the abolition of therapy is carried out subsequently gradually - within 2-4 weeks.
Instructions for using the syrup
Quite often, the doctor prescribes this particular form of Ketotifen to a child. Reviews are good, including for the fact that it does not have a too bitter taste. Children do not usually refuse to take this form of medicine.
Like pills, this drug is supposed to be taken in the evening andin the morning during meals. At the same time, the dosage of Ketotifen syrup for children over the age of three years is usually 5 ml twice a day. For babies from 6 months to three years old, pediatricians most often prescribe 2.5 ml of medication in this form.
Sometimes Ketotifen can also be prescribed for adults. In this case, the dosages are also usually chosen in such an amount that the patient receives 2 mg of the active substance of the drug per day in two divided doses. In some cases, the daily dose of "Ketotifen" for adults can be increased to 4 mg.
How to take drops
In this form, the medicine "Ketotifen" for allergies in children can be prescribed only from the age of three. Doctors usually prescribe 1 drop of this medicine in the conjunctival sac twice a day. In this case, the course of treatment with "Ketotifen" most often also lasts 2-3 months. At the same time, any noticeable effect in children is observed after about 2-3 weeks of therapy. Doctors reduce the dosage of drops, as when taking tablets or syrup, gradually - over several weeks. It is impossible for patients to abruptly cancel Ketotifen in any form, as this can lead to a relapse of the asthmatic syndrome.
What side effects can cause
Usually, "Ketotifen" in the treatment of children does not lead to any negative reactions of the body. However, in some cases, side effects from taking this medication in patients may still occur. Most often, Ketotifen, judging by the reviews, causes drowsiness in children. Atallergies to any components of the remedy in patients on the body may appear urticaria. Also, when treated with this drug, children sometimes experience symptoms such as anxiety, slow reactions, dry mouth, and some others.
