In the article, let's see if activated charcoal can be used for children.
The drug has been known for a long time and is an integral part of every home first aid kit. Adults take enterosorbent to treat various pathologies of the digestive system, as well as to cleanse the body in case of poisoning. Many consider taking the drug effective and safe. However, there are questions about whether activated charcoal can be given to children under 2 years of age.
Properties
Activated carbon is an adsorbent, as it has the ability to absorb various substances. The drug is produced on the basis of raw materials, which include carbon. It can be wood, peat, coconut shell, brown coal, etc.
What is the benefit of activated charcoal?
At the initial stage of production, suitable raw materials are placed in a special chamber in which there is no oxygen, and processed underhigh temperatures. To create a large number of pores that provide high absorbency, an activation method is used. This method involves the treatment of coal with certain substances or steam against the background of strong heating. Thus, a substance with a porous structure is obtained.
When it enters the digestive system, activated charcoal prevents the absorption of toxins, drugs, phenol derivatives, alkaloids, metal s alts and other substances into the blood. This is the benefit of activated charcoal. This action of the drug allows you to eliminate the symptoms of drug overdose and other types of intoxication. It should be borne in mind that the drug poorly absorbs iron s alts, alkalis and acids. In addition, activated charcoal is ineffective if poisoning occurs with methanol, ethylene glycol and cyanides.
In addition to drugs and toxins, activated charcoal is able to absorb gases. In this case, the tablets do not irritate the mucous membranes. The drug is not absorbed by the intestines and is excreted from the body unchanged. The withdrawal period of the tablets is one day.
To achieve the maximum effect, it is necessary to take the drug in the first hours after detecting signs of intoxication.
Indications
Activated charcoal for children 2 years old is used to solve various problems with the organs of the digestive system. The drug is prescribed for diarrhea, bloating, vomiting, as well as other manifestations of dyspepticdisorders. In addition, tablets are taken in the following cases:
- Meteorism.
- Hepatitis of viral origin.
- Food poisoning.
- Bacterial diarrhea.
- Rotavirus infection.
- Salmonellosis.
- Dysentery.
- Gastritis.
- Functional diarrhea.
- Formation in the stomach of hydrochloric acid in excess.
In case of poisoning
Many parents are wondering how and when to give their 2 year old activated charcoal. Most often, this drug is used to eliminate the symptoms of poisoning. For example, taking pills is indicated for heavy metal poisoning or drug overdose. Doctors also prescribe activated charcoal to remove allergens from the body. Tablets are taken in combination with other drugs for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, urticaria and other allergic pathologies. So it says in the instructions for the use of activated carbon. It is absolutely safe for children.
For burns
Effective is the treatment with activated charcoal for extensive burns, as well as against the background of high levels of nitrogen or bilirubin in the blood. Such clinical symptoms are characteristic of renal failure and some pathological processes in the liver. Enterosorbent will help remove excess bilirubin and toxins. In some cases, the drug is prescribed to patients before conducting studies such as endoscopy or x-rays. Thus, it is possible to reducethe amount of gas produced in the intestines.
But is it possible to prescribe activated charcoal to children 2 years old? We have considered the indications for the use of the remedy, and we will understand the age restrictions below.
Age restrictions
So, can children have activated charcoal? According to the instructions, age restrictions on taking the drug are not imposed, that is, it can be prescribed even to newborns. Nevertheless, in the first years of life, even the most harmless medicine can be given to a child only in agreement with the pediatrician. As a rule, coal is prescribed for diseases that occur in an acute form, including poisoning.
Contraindications
Despite the apparent safety and harmlessness of the drug, activated charcoal has a number of contraindications. For example, tablets are prohibited from prescribing for lesions of the digestive system with ulcers, including against the background of colitis, as well as for intestinal and gastric bleeding. Activated charcoal should not be taken in case of intolerance to its components, which is rare, but still occurs. Tablets are also contraindicated in case of intestinal atony.
What else does the instructions for the use of activated charcoal for children tell us?
Adverse reactions
Adverse reactions, as well as contraindications, are few, but they are. So, the feces become black after taking the pills, which should not scare patients, as this is a normal phenomenon. In some cases, taking an enterosorbent can cause dyspeptic symptoms.disorders or cause constipation. With prolonged use, it is possible to wash out calcium, vitamins, protein and other substances necessary for the normal functioning of organs and systems from the body.
Dosage
How much activated charcoal to give a child? The tablets are swallowed and washed down with plenty of water. For small children who have not yet learned to swallow tablets, the drug is crushed to a powder state. Then water is added to it, everything is mixed until a suspension is obtained. It is not recommended to eat and take the drug at the same time. Activated charcoal for children 2 years of age should be taken an hour or two before or after meals.
Dosage for children is calculated by patient's weight. As a rule, it is recommended to take 50 mg of the drug per kilogram of body weight. So, a child at the age of two years, whose weight is approximately 10 kg, is assigned two tablets at a time.
Most often given activated charcoal to children at 2 years of age with diarrhea.
Against the background of poisoning and after the gastric lavage procedure, the child is allowed to give a large dose. The maximum allowable amount of the drug is one tablet per kilogram of the child's weight.
The duration of activated charcoal intake for children 2 years of age directly depends on the nature of the disease or the intensity of symptoms. In case of poisoning, the drug is taken for several days until the condition of the small patient improves. In the treatment of rotavirus, intestinal infections, including salmonellosis, tablets are prescribed for 2-3 days. For treatmentflatulence enterosorbent is taken for about one week.
Sometimes it may be necessary to prolong the course of treatment, however, the total period of admission should not exceed two weeks.
The dose of activated charcoal for a 2 year old child must be strictly observed.
Overdose
If a child takes more pills than prescribed by the instructions and the attending physician, the following overdose symptoms may appear:
1. Nausea and vomiting.
2. Weakness.
3. Intense and frequent diarrhea.
4. Pain in the head.
Due to the fact that activated charcoal is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, symptomatic treatment is recommended in case of overdose. An overdose can take a chronic form if you give the drug to a child for more than two weeks. Such a condition can lead to malnutrition, intestinal dysbacteriosis and a decrease in the body's immune forces. For treatment, supportive therapy is prescribed, aimed at replenishing the missing substances.
Interaction with other drugs
Since activated charcoal has a pronounced adsorbing effect, it is not recommended to take tablets simultaneously with other drugs. This combination can reduce the effectiveness of other drugs. It is best to take at least two hours between medications.
Analogues
Enterosorbents are presented in pharmacies in a wide range, so if for some reason activated carbon is not suitable, you canchoose the same drug. For example, "Sorbeks" or "Carbopect" are produced in capsules. "Enterumin" in powder form is enriched with aluminum oxide, which enhances its effectiveness. For children, the drug is prescribed as part of the complex therapy of hepatitis, intestinal infections and allergic reactions. In addition, a group of modern enterosorbents stands out, which can be prescribed in childhood instead of activated charcoal:
- "Polysorb MP". Due to the presence of colloidal silicon dioxide in the composition, the drug effectively eliminates toxins and other harmful substances from the body. Produced in the form of a powder for suspension. The drug can be given to children at any age to eliminate the symptoms of food poisoning, functional diarrhea, kidney failure and other diseases.
- "Smekta". Due to the natural composition and safety of the drug, it is trusted by many parents in the treatment of digestive and other problems in children of any age. The composition of the drug includes aluminosilicate, which is also called smectin. The drug is produced in sachets, which contain powder flavored with vanilla or orange for the preparation of a suspension. "Smecta" is often prescribed in pediatric practice to eliminate food allergies, as well as while taking antibiotics to stop vomiting, pain in the abdomen, etc. Generics of the drug are "Diosmectin" and "Neosmectin", which are also produced on the basis of aluminosilicate.
- Enterosgel. Produced in the form of a gel based on polymethylsiloxane polyhydrate. A thick mass binds harmfultoxins and removes them from the body, while not harming the digestive tract. The drug can be prescribed even to newborn children, it has practically no contraindications and adverse reactions. "Enterosgel" is often prescribed for hepatitis, infections or intestinal dysbacteriosis, high acetone, etc.
- "Polifepan". The composition of the drug includes hydrolytic lignin obtained during the processing of coniferous trees. It also has no age limit for admission.
- "Enterodesis". Produced in the form of a sachet with powder based on povidone. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of infectious pathologies, burns, kidney failure, etc.
Reviews
Activated charcoal is a time-tested drug that has been used for more than one generation. Reviews about the action of the tablets are mostly positive, they are considered harmless and safe to take even by young children. Parents note that activated charcoal is an indispensable drug in the treatment of poisoning, bloating, diathesis and diarrhea in a child. In addition, the low price of tablets makes them accessible to a wide range of consumers. The only thing that many parents complain about is the need to give the child a large number of pills at a time. Even crushed, they can be hard to swallow.
