When an infection of the respiratory tract affects the baby up to a year, it is quite difficult to cope with the disease. After all, the baby can not complain to parents about the deterioration of their health at the initial stage of the disease, and a visit to a doctor, as a rule, occurs even when the disease clearly shows symptoms. If the child coughs heavily, the doctor may prescribe the drug "Prospan". Analogs of it may also be recommended. But what exactly are 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 is based on a plant component - ivy leaf extract. Due to the presence of glycosides (saponins) in this component, the agent has not only a secretolytic, mucolytic and antitussive effect, but also an antispasmodic and mucokinetic effect.
The medication is effective for such diseases 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 primary characteristics of the drug. But in order to understand whether the Prospan means, analogues for children under 1 year of age, have such advantages, we consider the material further.
What do parents need to know?
Before you begin to study the list of medicines that can help cope with a cough in a child under 1 year old, several important points should be considered. Firstly, parents should not give any drug to the baby without a doctor’s prescription, even if the instructions say that the medicine is completely safe. After all, any component of the product can cause an allergic reaction in a child. And secondly, while young parents will 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 the “Prospan” syrup for children. The number of such medicines is quite large, but all of them can be conditionally 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 according to pharmacological characteristics. We will get acquainted with the most popular representatives of each group in more detail.
Based on the foregoing, it is worth noting that this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a guide to action.
The drug "Gedelix"
This product is available in the form of drops and syrup. As the main active ingredient in the manufacture of the drug, pharmacists used ivy leaf extract. However, we will focus on syrup, since only this form of the drug can be used to treat cough in infants.
This analogue of the Prospan medication is recommended for crumbs 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 children who are 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. Inadequate adherence to the recommendations of a specialist can cause adverse reactions and aggravate the condition of the crumbs.
The medicine "Herbion"
If Prospan funds are not available in the pharmacy, there is no need to rush to purchase an analogue that a pharmacist can recommend, in particular the Herbion medicine (ivy syrup). After all, even though these two medicines are similar in structure and can be used to treat babies up to 1 year old, they have completely different auxiliary components.
So, unlike the Prospan product, the Herbion analogue can cause such adverse reactions as a skin rash, an upset digestive system, as well as edema and hyperemia of the mucous membranes and epidermis.
However, if this tool was prescribed by the attending physician who performed the diagnosis, and he clearly outlined the rules for admission, parents should not worry. Strict adherence to the dosing system and other specialist recommendations will help to avoid the negative impact of the components of the drug on the child's body.
The drug "Eucabal"
This medicine is available 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 contribute to thinning viscous sputum and removing them from the respiratory system, due to the activation of the motor activity of the cilia of the epithelium. This analogue of “Prospana” from dry cough is effective in diseases such as chronic and acute pharyngin, tracheitis, bronchitis, etc. As for the second active substance, it is plantain extract. This substance of plant origin relieves irritation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi and trachea.
The medicine can be prescribed for 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 parents of a small patient with information about the possible occurrence of side effects.
The medicine "Ambroxol"
If the crumbs have a strong unproductive cough, the doctor may recommend not only the use of Prospan. Analogs are 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 a surfactant - a surfactant that covers the lungs. That is why the tool can be recommended even to premature babies with respiratory failure. It is also worth noting that the medicine contributes to the normalization of altered bronchopulmonary secretion and liquefaction of mucus.
Instructions for use recommend that crumbs be given syrup twice a day, 2.5 ml each, but it will be more correct if the pediatrician calculates the dosing system. This will allow you to quickly achieve a therapeutic effect without harming the body of the child.
As for the adverse reactions that the Ambroxol medication can have, they occur very rarely and manifest as vomiting and nausea.
Means "Ambrohexal"
This medicine has a mucolytic effect and is prescribed for colds, which are accompanied by cough, as well as for chronic and acute bronchopulmonary diseases, which are characterized by a weak promotion of viscous sputum. Like Prospan, the Ambrohexal analogue can be used in pediatrics to treat babies from birth. Its main active ingredient is ambroxol, which helps to thin and remove mucus from the respiratory tract.
With strict adherence to the dosage system and other recommendations of the doctor, the medicine is well tolerated. Only in isolated cases can adverse reactions occur in the form of impaired stools, vomiting and heartburn.
The medicine "Lazolvan"
Many people know about the effectiveness of this drug, 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, the pharmacists used the same ambroxol, which was mentioned above, at the heart of the Lazolvan medication. It is thanks to the presence of this active ingredient that the drug has an expectorant, secretolytic and secretory effect.
The drug is prescribed for patients with acute and chronic ailments of the respiratory system, which are accompanied by the discharge of viscous sputum. In other words, the medicine can be recommended for COPD, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.
If a small child needs the use of the medication, then the doctor independently calculates the dosage and sets the rules for admission.
Conclusion
If the baby gets sick and the doctor prescribed the drug "Prospan" (syrup), analogues are cheaper to pick up yourself is strictly prohibited. After all, even despite the fact that the modern range of affordable medicines allows you to do this, you can not endanger your baby.
Even in cases where the recommended drug cannot be purchased for any reason, 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.