Why are children prescribed Kalpol? Instructions for the use of the drug, its composition, side effects and contraindications will be presented below. We will also tell you about the price of this drug in pharmacies and what patients say about it.
Release form, packaging and composition of children's medicine
The drug "Kalpol" (for children), reviews of which are mostly positive, is available as a suspension for oral administration. Due to the fact that this medication is intended for children, it has a pleasant strawberry flavor and pink color.
The active substance of this tool is paracetamol. It also includes auxiliary components in the form of sugar syrup, glycerol, sorbitol (70% solution), flavor, gum, purified water, methyl parahydroxybenzoate and carmoisine.
The drug "Kalpol", the price of which will be presented later, goes on sale in bottles made of dark glass (100 and 70 ml each). Also in the kit there is a measuring spoon for 5 and 2.5 ml.
Pharmacodynamics of a children's medical product
What is the drug "Kalpol"? Instructions for use contain information that this tool is an analgesic-antipyretic. According to pharmacists, it has antipyretic and analgesic properties.
The principle of action of the drug in question is associated with inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. It should be especially noted that paracetamol, which is part of the medication, does not affect the electrolyte and water balance. In addition, it does not lead to fluid and sodium retention in the body, and also does not irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Pharmacokinetics of a medical product
How long does absorption of Kalpol take? The instruction for use states that after taking the medication inside, its highest concentration is achieved after about 35-90 minutes.
The active component of the drug is metabolized only in the liver. In this case, several intermediate metabolic products are formed. In newborn babies (from two days), as well as children aged three to ten years, the main metabolite is paracetamol sulfate. As for adolescents over 13 years old, the main such substance in them is conjugated glucuronide.
With a lack of glutathione, these substances can help block the enzyme systems of hepatocytes, as well as cause their necrosis.
About 85-95% of paracetamol is excreted along with urine during the day. The half-life of the drug is 1.6-2.6 hours.
Indications
What is “Kalpol” medicine intended for? Instructions for use of the tool states that it is prescribed for children aged three months to six years. Use the medication as:
- an analgesic for neuralgia, moderate or mild pain, including toothache, muscle pain and headache, discomfort after burns and injuries;
- antipyretic drug for post-vaccination reactions, acute respiratory infections, as well as flu, childhood infections and other conditions that are accompanied by an increase in body temperature.
One cannot fail to say that the question of the possible use of the “Kalpol” medication according to the presented indications in children aged one to three months should be decided individually by the attending physician.
Contraindications
In what cases is it forbidden to use the drug “Kalpol” (for children)? The instruction states that the following conditions are contraindications to its use:
- blood diseases;
- severe violations of the liver;
- lack of G6PD;
- severe renal impairment;
- children's age up to one month;
- hypersensitivity of the child to substances in the composition of the drug.
It should also be noted that this medication is prescribed with caution in case of Rotor, Dubin-Johnson and Gilbert syndrome.
The drug "Kalpol" (for children): instructions for use
How should I use the drug in question? Suspension "Kalpol" is given to the child only inside. Do this only 2 hours after eating. The medicine is washed down with plenty of water. The frequency of its intake is 3 times a day with an interval of at least 4 hours.
It should be especially noted that the drug suspension does not need to be diluted. For dosing accuracy and convenience, experts recommend using the attached measuring spoon.
Medication "Kalpol": dosage for children
The dosage of the drug for children should be determined only by the pediatrician. Otherwise, you can use the attached instructions, which contains the following information:
- Children from three months to one year should be given 60-120 mg of paracetamol, i.e. approximately 2.5-5 ml of suspension.
- Children from one year to six years old are given 120-240 mg of paracetamol, i.e. approximately 5-10 ml of suspension.
The duration of treatment with this tool is 3 days. But this is only if the drug was used as an antipyretic. To achieve an analgesic effect, it is used for 5 days.
Drug overdose
What are the consequences after improper use of the drug “Kalpol”? Dosage for children should be strictly observed by parents. Otherwise, the child may experience the following signs of an overdose: pallor of the skin , severe pain in the stomach, increased sweat, nausea and vomiting. After two days, symptoms of liver damage may appear. In more severe cases, the child may develop liver failure, encephalopathy, hepatonecrosis, or even a coma.
As a treatment, the baby is washed with a stomach, given methionine, enterosorbents (Polyphepan or activated carbon) and the antidote N-acetylcysteine is administered intravenously.
It should also be noted that if symptoms of an overdose appear, the patient must immediately stop taking the medication and consult a doctor.
Interaction with other drugs
Now you know what the Kalpol preparation is intended for. Dosage and methods of using the medication were presented above. Now I want to tell you about whether the drug in question can be used simultaneously with other medicines.
When used together with anticonvulsants (for example, Phenytoinum), barbiturates, ethanol, antidepressants (tricyclics), rifampicin and phenylbutazone, the risk of developing the hepatotoxic effect of the active substance, that is, paracetamol, is significantly increased.
With simultaneous administration with salicylates, the nephrotoxic effect of paracetamol increases.
The combined use of the drug with chloramphenicol leads to an increase in the toxic properties of the latter.
Paracetamol is able to enhance the effect of anticoagulants and weaken the effect of uricosuric medicines.
Side effects of a medical product
Are there any side effects of the drug "Kalpol"? The instructions for the use of this drug say that in general it is tolerated by patients relatively well. However, in some cases, abnormalities such as nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, allergies in the form of Quincke's edema and skin rash, urticaria and itching are possible.
It should also be noted that very rarely anemia, agranulocytosis, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia develop in patients.
With long-term use of the drug in high doses, its nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic effects are possible, as well as the occurrence of methemoglobinemia and pancytopenia.
Special instructions for taking the drug
It is necessary to avoid taking the drug “Kalpol” simultaneously with other paracetamol-containing agents, as this can easily lead to an overdose of the substance mentioned.
When using the medication for longer than 5-7 days, it is necessary to monitor liver function indicators, as well as the picture of peripheral blood.
Children's suspension "Kalpol", reviews of which you can read below, contains sugar. This fact should be taken into account when prescribing the drug to patients with diabetes.
The active substance of the drug (i.e. paracetamol) is capable of distorting the results of laboratory tests that are aimed at determining the content of uric acid and glucose in blood plasma.
It is necessary to warn the parents of a small patient about the need to see a doctor while maintaining an elevated temperature for more than three days and pain for more than five days.
Terms and conditions of storage
The product in question should be stored only in a dark place. At the same time, the temperature in it should not be higher than 25 degrees. Shelf life of the drug is 3 years. After this time, the use of medication is prohibited.
Reviews about the drug and its price
What do mothers say about such a children's medicine as Kalpol? Their reviews are mostly positive. Most parents argue that after a short course of treatment, the baby's body temperature drops almost immediately, and the general condition of the body improves markedly. Although in some cases, the child has side effects. But they are so insignificant and rare that most parents do not even pay attention to them.
In addition to effectiveness, this drug has other positive properties. For example, parents are pleased with its value. It is not very high and amounts to about 90 Russian rubles per 100 ml of suspension. Agree, this is a rather low price for your peace of mind and the healthy state of your child.