With the appearance of the baby in the house, parents are faced with the need to look for safe drugs for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. Moms and dads try to acquire only those products that do not give side effects. In extreme cases, the negative reactions of the child's body to the course of treatment should be minimal. Unfortunately, there are very few such drugs in the arsenal of parents, and the spectrum of their use is even smaller. However, one medicine was able to gain the trust of mothers and fathers and this is Miramistin. For children, it is absolutely safe and is prescribed in some cases, even to infants. Therefore, every year there are more and more grateful reviews about the drug. Since Miramistin is used for children and adults almost equally, many mothers are still worried about the safety of the drug in treating babies. Today we will consider this popular drug and discuss the main options for its use. We will also analyze whether it is possible to spray Miramistin up to three years in the throat of a child, how to use it more effectively for tonsillitis, and whether its preventive use is possible.
General characteristics of the drug
Everyone knows today “Miramistin” for children and adults - this is a relatively new drug. It was developed in the eighties of the twentieth century to combat various infectious diseases. Literally right away, this remedy proved to be a worthy competitor to traditional broad-spectrum antibiotics. It is noteworthy that initially Miramistin was created as a medicine, which astronauts should have used if necessary. The main requirement for it was safety and the absence of side effects, even with long-term use. As a result, a drug appeared that could neutralize almost all types of known bacteria and at the same time not harm the patient's body, regardless of age.
Such properties have made the medicine so popular. Therefore, today it is actively used in medicine not only for adults, but also for children.
"Miramistin" refers to antiseptics that have a number of properties. First of all, doctors call the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect that the drug has. In parallel, it activates macrophages and phagocytes, which, in combination with other properties, enhances the patient’s immune system several times. The active substance of the drug successfully penetrates the membrane membrane of pathogenic microorganisms. As a result, they die in a fairly short period of time.
Composition and form of release
Modern parents very often use this drug for children. The instructions to "Miramistin" give the exact dosage of the drug in the treatment of certain diseases. However, mothers and fathers usually know little about the medicine itself and do not understand the mechanism of its effect on the child's body.
The main active ingredient of the drug is benzyldimethyl ammonium chloride monohydrate. It is also often called "miramistin", which gave the name to the drug in the end. It is this substance that penetrates the membrane membrane of microorganisms that cause certain bacteria.
It is worth noting that benzyldimethyl ammonium chloride monohydrate is a very active chemical. For example, in the Miramistin spray (it is most often purchased for children), its concentration is only thousandths. In this case, the drug remains effective for more known bacteria.
There are a lot of forms of release of this tool, which allows to expand the range of its application. In pharmacies, Miramistin is sold in three forms:
The most common drug in the form of a solution sold in dense white plastic bottles. The liquid in them has no color, it is transparent in appearance with a slight subtle smell. If you shake Miramistin, the solution will foam. This is considered the norm for the drug. The bottles in which the product is poured have a different volume: fifty, one hundred, one hundred and fifty and two hundred milliliters. Five hundred milliliter packages exist, but most often they are used in medical institutions. Therefore, it is difficult to meet them in free sale. One tenth of a milligram of active substance is contained in one milliliter of solution.
Miramistin in the form of ointment is mainly used for healing wounds and burns. The medicine has a uniform structure and white color. Fifteen and thirty grams of ointment are produced in tubes. One gram of the drug contains five grams of the active substance.
Miramistin spray for children is the most convenient to use. In its composition, it is still the same solution, but packed in a special bottle with a spray nozzle. This form of release is great for the treatment of tonsillitis and other diseases of the throat. But if you plan to use Miramistin for a cold in children, then it is better for you to buy a regular dropper bottle, from which it is very convenient to instill a child’s medicine in the sinuses.
What microorganisms is Miramistin used against?
This antiseptic is used in practice very widely. It is effective in gynecology, venereology, surgery and other areas. Also, it is often an indispensable part of a home medicine cabinet, as wounds and abrasions are treated with a solution. Why is Miramistin so effective? What bacteria can it fight?
When developing the main focus of the drug was to neutralize streptococci and staphylococci. Scientists succeeded, but in clinical trials, the drug proved to be effective against a number of bacteria that cause serious diseases in children and adults:
- gram negative;
- gram-positive;
- anaerobic;
- aerobic;
- spore-forming;
- asporogenic.
All of these microorganisms cannot develop resistance to Miramistin even with prolonged use.
In gynecology and venereology, the drug is used very often, since it neutralizes most of the bacteria that are the causative agents of sexually transmitted diseases. These microorganisms include:
- gonococci;
- chlamydia
- herpes viruses;
- trichomonads and so on.
Many experts consider Miramistin a real ambulance in various life circumstances. Therefore, it is advised to have it in the medicine cabinet, even if you do not have children in the house.
Miramistin, instructions for children: general recommendations
In the insert enclosed in each package of the product, it is described in detail how to use it for certain diseases. Due to the safety of the medicine, doctors often start using it without a recommendation. However, it’s better to consult with a specialist, as, perhaps, in your particular case, Miramistin will need to be combined with other medicines, which will speed up recovery.
If there is a child in your house, then you will have quite a lot of indications for using the drug:
- sore throats;
- ARVI;
- runny nose;
- cuts;
- burns and so on.
In order not to purchase several bottles of medicine, you can buy one, and get the nozzles to it. This will allow you to use antiseptics more efficiently and save money.
Usually, mothers do not worry about the external use of the drug. They even process the umbilical ring in newborn babies. But with the remaining cases they have a lot of questions. So, at what age can Miramistin sprinkle in the throat and drip into the nose?
If you trust the instructions, then only three years old. However, doctors themselves do not comply with these recommendations. They prescribe antiseptic treatment to children under two years of age, and often to infants. Therefore, parents can not worry that the drug will harm their little ones. But still, before starting an independent treatment, still visit a doctor and listen to his recommendations.
The standard course of treatment with Miramistin should not exceed ten days. After the use of the drug must be suspended. It may be necessary to replace it with another or completely change the treatment regimen.
Treatment of tonsillitis and other infectious diseases of the throat
If your baby has a sore throat, then in the early stages of the disease it is recommended to use Miramistin. During this period, it will be as effective as possible, while a running infection is likely to require complex treatment.
Irrigation of the throat is recommended by spray. For each age, a certain number of clicks on the bottle is required. If we talk about the dosage, then crumbs from three to six years will be enough for one click on the spray.
Children from seven to fourteen years old will need two clicks, and a child from fourteen years old - three. Miramistin for children up to a year in the treatment of throat infections is used in the same way as for babies from three years. However, here mothers are warned by pitfalls. Many can not cope with the crumbs who categorically refuse to open their mouths or are frightened of a bottle with a spray. The problem can be solved quite simply, experts advise using Miramistin for children up to a year as follows:
- wrap a sterile bandage on the fingertips;
- moisten it with plenty of Miramistin solution;
- gently open the baby’s mouth and grease the inside of the cheeks with your fingers.
The baby, one way or another, will begin to swallow saliva and along with it the medicine will fall into the throat. Such concentration will be quite enough for the baby.
When using a regular bottle with a nebulizer, do not forget to shake it well so that the medicine turns into a homogeneous solution without sediment. Three or four irrigation should be done per day.
Inhalations with Miramistin for children
Not always treating throat infections in the usual way is effective. In addition, a cough is often added to sore throat, and this indicates that the infection descended into the bronchi and can not be neutralized with an ordinary spray. In such situations, inhalation with Miramistin will help.
For children, this is done through a special device - a nebulizer. Moms of often sick babies usually have it in the arsenal of their first-aid kit. The action of such devices is based on the transformation of the drug into steam with microscopic particles. Thus, when inhaling, they settle on the organs of the respiratory system and act more actively on microorganisms.
Inhalations are indicated for tonsillitis, pharyngitis and laryngitis. In case of rhinitis and sinus inflammation (with a runny nose in children), Miramistin can also be used through a nebulizer.
The effectiveness of this method is difficult to overestimate. Thanks to inhalation, the drug is absorbed faster, but does not irritate the already inflamed mucous membrane. Also, it should be noted that the medicine acts strictly in the lesion focus. The duration of the session can be varied to get a lasting effect from the treatment.
Dosage for inhalation
Parents need to remember that during inhalation a large amount of the drug enters the child's body, so you should definitely consult a doctor about the advisability of this method.
For a nebulizer, a clean solution of the agent is used. Usually no more than four milliliters of Miramistin is taken. For parents conducting the procedure, it is very important to observe its duration. A baby from a year to three can be breathed with the drug for no more than six minutes. An older child can be brought up to fifteen minutes.
Three inhalations are carried out per day, and the general course of treatment should be ten days.
If inhalation is indicated crumbs up to a year, then you can not use a pure preparation. It must be diluted with saline: one part of Miramistin is taken in two parts of saline. At this age, you need to breathe an antiseptic for no more than three minutes.
Some pediatric doctors do not recommend the use of a pure medication for inhalation in a child younger than three years old. However, there is no reason for this, since the drug does not give side effects and does not provoke the manifestation of allergic reactions.
The use of drugs to treat rhinitis and sinusitis
Runny nose caused by various viral infections is a real disaster for mothers of babies. Often a cold begins with a runny nose, which does not stop even after recovery. In such cases, Miramistin is dripped into the nose of the child.
Manipulations are carried out up to five times a day and two drops of an antiseptic are enough for once. However, not all kids calmly tolerate this method of treatment. Some during the procedure begin to act up and then do not calm down for a long time. Therefore, such a child "Miramistin" in the nose can be entered through lubrication. To do this, take a cotton swab with a limiter, abundantly moistened with a solution. Then she needs to quickly and accurately lubricate the nasal passages until the baby understands what exactly is happening. The procedure is repeated as necessary, but at least five times a day.
Prophylactic use of antiseptics and opinion of moms
Can Miramistin be used for prophylaxis for children? This issue excites many mothers, because it seems to them that the disease is better to prevent than to treat later. However, in this case, you should not do this. "Miramistin" is an antiseptic with a very active active substance, therefore it should be used only when the first symptoms of the disease are detected.
In their reviews, everyone unanimously notes the effectiveness of an antiseptic in the treatment of a whole list of diseases. Many parents call Miramistin their savior and recommend it as a means to quickly get rid of infections.
Are there any analogues of the drug?
A full-fledged analogue of Miramistin for children does not exist. If necessary, you can select only drugs that are similar in composition or effect, but all of them will have side effects.
If you look for a remedy with the same active substance, then "Septomirin" and "Okomistin" are suitable. And in situations where you need an analogue of Miramistin for children with an identical mechanism of action and effect, try Dekasan and Chlorhexidine. However, the former often causes allergic reactions and is not used in the treatment of wounds. And "Chlorhexidine" is prohibited for use in the treatment of infants. It also affects blood flow and has an unpleasant taste, which makes it difficult for young children to use it.