The drug is a hormonal drug, which is usually used for acute diseases that threaten life. When is Prednisolone prescribed for children with allergies and in what form is it used?
The drug is produced by several companies, and sometimes there is a word next to the name of the drug that indicates the manufacturer. "Prednisolone" is available in the following dosage forms:
- Tablets are white cylindrical, in one package there are from ten to one hundred and twenty pieces.
- Ointment is used for external treatment of the skin. This is a thick white mass, which is placed in aluminum tubes with a volume of ten or fifteen grams.
- Ampoules with a solution that are used for injection into a muscle or vein. This form contains one or two ml of a clear solution. The fluid is clear, yellowish or greenish. In one package there can be 3-5 ampoules.
In suppositories, drops, capsules, suspensions or other forms, the drug is not produced.
Structure
All dosage forms contain one active substance - prednisone. It is presented in the following dosages:
- in one tablet, one or five mg;
- in a solution for injection - fifteen or thirty mg;
- in the ointment - five mg.
Operating principle
The drug is considered a chemical hormone from the group of glucocorticosteroids and acts similarly to hormonal compounds that are produced in the adrenal glands.
In addition, the drug inhibits the active release of fluid from inflamed tissues, and also prevents the occurrence of an allergic reaction and eliminates rash, swelling, and itching. "Prednisolone" stops the active spread of cells at the site of damage, thereby preventing the appearance of scars.
All these effects of the drug occur very quickly, and the effect of the drug is considered to be very strong, therefore it is used in case of life threatening or in situations where other medicines did not have the proper result. If there is a possibility of changing Prednisolone with other medicines, it must be used.
The drug also notes such properties:
- activates the breakdown of protein in tissues and blood flow;
- increases blood glucose;
- reduces potassium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates its excretion from the body;
- inhibits glucocorticoid production.
Such effects of the drug are not considered therapeutic, but should be taken into account, since it is they that form the adverse reactions. Children can take Prednisone only under the supervision of a doctor.
When is an antibiotic prescribed?
According to the instructions for use, Prednisone in tablets and injections is prescribed in the following situations:
- Quincke's edema (a reaction to the effects of various biological and chemical factors, often of an allergic nature).
- Urticaria (skin disease, dermatitis, as a rule, of allergic origin, which is characterized by the rapid onset of severely itchy blisters).
- Anaphylactic shock (severe systemic allergic reaction of an immediate type, developing upon contact with foreign antigen substances).
- Cerebral edema (a pathological process manifested by excessive accumulation of fluid in the cells of the brain or spinal cord and intercellular space).
- Bronchial asthma (chronic inflammation of the airways involving a variety of cells).
- Rheumatoid arthritis (a rheumatic process characterized by erosive and destructive lesions of mainly peripheral small joints).
- Scleroderma (tissue damage, the main manifestations of which is sclerosis of the skin and narrowing of small capillaries).
- Joint damage.
- The inflammatory process in the joints, as well as acute impaired functioning of the adrenal glands.
- Allergic conjunctivitis (a lesion of the conjunctiva, which is provoked by the body's defensive reactions in response to the appearance of an allergen).
- Uveitis (inflammation of various parts of the uveal tract, manifested by pain in the eyes).
- Agranulocytosis (a pathology in which there is a decrease in white blood cells in the blood due to granulocytes and monocytes).
- Acute leukemia (a tumor of the hematopoietic system, which is based on immature cells that displace normal hematopoietic shoots).
- Thrombocytopenic purpura (a hematological pathological process that is characterized by a lack of platelets in the blood).
- Hemolytic anemia (a fairly rare blood disease, a characteristic feature of which is the reduction in the life cycle of red blood cells).
- Organ transplantation.
- Acute hepatitis (anatomical and functional impairment in the liver).
- Hepatic coma (a serious disease that is associated with extensive liver damage).
- Thyrotoxic crisis (a serious illness that threatens life with a complication of diffuse toxic goiter).
- Thyroiditis (inflammation of the endocrine gland).
- Myeloma (a malignant neoplasm of the bone marrow, consisting of plasma cells, which, as a result of transformation, was transformed into malignant myeloma cells).
- Sarcoidosis (a systemic disease with a chronic course, which is characterized by the formation of granulomas in various organs and tissues).
- Tuberculosis (an infectious disease, the main source of which is infection with Koch sticks).
- Aspiration pneumonia (an inflammatory process in the lungs that occurs when inhaled or passively penetrates various substances into the lungs).
According to the instructions, "Prednisolone" is prescribed to children as an ointment in the following conditions:
- eczema (non-infectious inflammation of the skin surface, in which rashes, burning and a tendency to repeat) appear;
- atopic dermatitis (a chronic skin lesion that occurs with exacerbations and remissions);
- contact dermatitis (an inflammatory reaction of the skin to contact with an irritant);
- toxidermia (acute inflammation of the skin under the influence of substances that enter the body and have allergic or toxic-allergic properties);
- psoriasis (non-infectious lesion of the skin surface, which is accompanied by the appearance of rashes and peeling);
- tenosynovitis (an ailment characterized by damage to the tendon and its surrounding membrane);
- bursitis (damage to the mucous regions, usually in the joints);
- keloid scars (pathological overgrowth of scar tissue).
At what age can the drug be used?
There are no age-related restrictions on the use of Prednisone for children, but due to the fact that such a drug can adversely affect the growth of the body in childhood, this hormone drug is usually prescribed only in the presence of serious diseases and only under the supervision of a doctor.
In addition, it must be remembered that such a tool is used only for acute diseases and always try to prescribe in the minimum dosage and for the shortest possible time.
What contraindications does the drug have
If a medicine is prescribed for a child for health reasons, then there is only one contraindication for its use - intolerance to the components of the medicine.
Nevertheless, most diseases require increased attention of a medical specialist when prescribing Prednisolone. According to the instructions, ampoules for children are contraindicated in various pathologies, for example:
- chickenpox (a viral disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets);
- measles (an acute viral illness with increased sensitivity, which is characterized by fever, as well as damage to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and respiratory organs, conjunctivitis and characteristic spotty-papular rashes on the skin, as well as general intoxication);
- herpes (a viral disease with a characteristic rash of grouped vesicles on the skin and mucous membranes);
- tuberculosis (an infection that occurs in two main forms);
- endocrine gland diseases;
- severe liver pathologies;
- glaucoma (a disease of the visual organ, which is characterized by an increase in intraocular pressure, the occurrence of optical neuropathy and visual impairment).
If the child has some serious ailment, the question of the use of the drug is decided individually.
Adverse reactions
During Prednisolone therapy, various negative effects can be observed in injections or tablets, for example:
- Vomiting.
- Nausea.
- Adrenal Depletion.
- Neuroendocrine lesion, which develops as a result of a violation of the hypothalamic-pituitary system, as well as increased secretion and secondary hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex.
- Loss of appetite.
- The onset of diabetes.
- Erosive esophagitis (an inflammatory process that develops on the mucous membrane of the esophagus and is characterized by the appearance of erosion and ulcers).
- Bleeding from the stomach or intestines.
- Teroidal gastric ulcer.
- Delayed sexual development (a sign of pathology, in which there is a violation of the physiological development of adolescents).
- Arrhythmia (a pathological condition that leads to a violation of the rhythm of the contraction of the heart).
- High blood pressure.
- Bradycardia (decrease in heart rate).
- Flatulence (increased accumulation of gases in the intestines).
- Depressive disorders.
- Increased intracranial or intraocular pressure.
- Migraine (a neurological disease, the most frequent and characteristic sign of which is episodic or regular pain).
- Insomnia (a sleep disorder that is characterized by insufficient duration or unsatisfactory quality of sleep, or a combination of these phenomena over a significant period).
- Hyperhidrosis (a pathological condition accompanied by increased sweating throughout the body or only in certain areas in the armpits, on the feet or palms, in large folds).
- Weight gain.
- Eye infection.
- The appearance of peripheral edema.
- Myalgia.
- Hypokalemia (low concentration of potassium ions in the blood).
- The appearance of striae or blackheads.
- Skin rashes.
- Itching
- Exacerbation of infectious diseases.
What dosage of prednisolone is prescribed for children
If injections into a vein are impossible, the drug is administered intramuscularly, and when improved, they are replaced by tablets. If the medication is prescribed for a long period, you need to stop taking it gradually, reducing the daily dosage. The longer the therapy was carried out, the slower the drug is canceled.
"Prednisolone" in tablets, as a rule, is given once every six to eight in the morning, because it is at this time that glucocorticoids are formed in the human body. If the concentration of the active substance is very large, it can be divided into several uses.
At the same time, in the morning hours, the dosage of Prednisolone is usually prescribed to the children as high as possible, and the rest is used at twelve hours. The use of tablets is recommended during meals or immediately after it. The drug is washed down with water.
The dosage form, dosage and duration of use of the drug is determined by the doctor, taking into account many factors, including diagnosis, age of the child, weight.
According to the instructions for use, "Prednisolone" in ampoules for children can be administered intravenously either by jet or through a dropper. It is intravenous injection that is carried out in acute diseases, when it is necessary to provide emergency assistance.
Prednisolone ointment covers disturbed areas of the skin from one to three times a day. The medication is not recommended to be covered with a bandage and used for more than two weeks.
According to the instructions for use, Prednisone can be prescribed to small patients in the form of inhalation. Such measures eliminate edema, eliminate cramps and cough syndrome, therefore they are used for the following diseases:
- stenosis of the larynx (narrowing of the lumen of the larynx, which leads to difficulty in the passage of air during breathing);
- laryngitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx);
- obstructive bronchitis.
For manipulations, a drug in ampoules and an inhaler are used. Calculate the dose of "Prednisone" for children, determine the frequency of inhalation and duration of therapy should be a medical specialist.
Overdose
If you use too large a dosage of the drug, blood pressure rises, swelling occurs and other adverse reactions intensify. In this case, you should immediately seek medical help.
What drugs does prednisolone interact with?
According to reviews, Prednisone should be used carefully for children, it is also worth considering the use of any other drugs, since such a hormone is not recommended to be combined with many other medicines so as not to cause side effects or to intensify them.
Among the drugs that are not recommended for use with Prednisolone are diuretics, cardiac glycosides, Paracetamol, anticoagulants, Isoniazid, vitamin D, antacids and other drugs.
In addition, Prednisone cannot be combined with antiviral vaccines, so a certain amount of time must pass between vaccination and the use of glucocorticoid.
Storage conditions
"Prednisolone" is released from pharmacy points strictly according to the prescription. The cost of the drug varies from 100 to 130 rubles. It is necessary to keep tablets at a temperature of twenty-five degrees, and ampoules and ointment - in a cool place.
Reviews
On the use of Prednisolone in injections for children, you can find different responses. In positive reviews, parents characterize the drug as an effective remedy, and note a positive effect for allergies or inflammation. In negative responses, mothers, as a rule, complain about the frequent occurrence of adverse reactions.
Analogs
If there is a need to change "Prednisone", use another medication with the same active substance ("Medopred", "Decortin") or some other glucocorticoid. But such a replacement is allowed only as directed by a medical specialist and under the supervision of a pediatrician. The use of any substitute instead of "Prednisone" in the treatment of children without the recommendation of a doctor is a great danger to the health of the child.