At the height of the period of colds, antiviral drugs for children become the first treatment and prevention of the most common diseases - ARI and ARVI . Regardless of the widespread use of such seemingly innocuous drugs, only a doctor is needed, self-medication is unacceptable.
Symptoms of the virus in the child
Very often an ordinary virus in a child can be caused not so much by a collision of the body with an infection, but also because of hypothermia, weakened immunity. It is important not to miss the onset of the disease, to help the baby as soon as possible cope with it. The main treatment at the initial stage is a child antiviral that gently corrects the immunity in the right direction. The first and main symptoms of the virus are:
- muscle weakness;
- headache;
- a sharp increase in body temperature;
- apathetic behavior of the child;
- occasionally vomiting / nausea or diarrhea.
After 2-3 days, the symptomatology is joined by:
- Pershenie and sore throat when swallowing;
- cough;
- hoarseness of voice;
- runny nose , sneezing.
How to treat a virus in a child?
Therapy of acute respiratory disease or ARI is simple. Treatment of the virus in children is carried out by medicines in parallel with folk methods, which have proven themselves from the best side. A good antiviral agent for children should be given literally in the first hours after the onset of the disease. In this it will be effective. If you start taking it for 3-5 days, the effect will be invisible.
In parallel with taking the medicine, the following rules should be adhered to:
- Provide the baby with an abundant drink in the form of fruit drinks, broths, herbal teas.
- Keep indoor humidity of 65-70%.
- Twice a day, do wet cleaning.
- Reduce the load on the body, giving more drink, but less food.
Do I need to give my baby antiviral drugs?
All without exception, parents who worry about the health of their babies are concerned about whether to give children antiviral drugs. After all, there are different positions on this issue when it is believed that the effectiveness of such therapy is not proven, or from it simply there is no sense. Doctors insist that children's antiviral drugs can significantly alleviate the condition of the sick kid and even strengthen his immunity, but the choice is to give or not give the drug, it remains for the parents.
Before you offer a child this or that remedy, which affects immunity, you should find out about its effect on the child's body. All drugs belonging to the group of antiviral have in their composition a human or genetically modified interferon. The influence of the latter is not fully understood, and therefore with preparations that interfere with the immune system, one should be on guard, not exceeding the dosage and not giving too often, motivating the benefits to the body.
Getting into the first three days from the onset of the disease into the body, the foreign interferon acts in a similar way to its own - it kills viruses. His own interferon begins to be actively developed only on the fourth day from the onset of the disease. This means that if you regularly "help" immunity, combat the invasion of viruses by artificial means, the immune system can not then fight itself, because it's just not used to it. That's why it is better to help the children to cope with the disease on their own, giving a lot of liquid without knocking down the temperature and providing humidity in the room.
What antiviral drugs are available for children?
Since treatment with medicines is best not to start, if the temperature does not exceed 38 ° C, the antiviral agent for children is the best that can be offered to the child at the moment. Optimum in case of illness in children up to the age of seven, to offer homeopathic or interferon-containing dosage forms. They are safe for the younger age group. Preparations for fighting viruses can be in the form of:
- candles (suppositories);
- syrup;
- nasal or oral drops;
- capsules and tablets;
- ointments for the nose.
All of them have approximately the same efficacy and should be prescribed only by a doctor, self-medication even by such, at first glance, harmless drugs is undesirable. Candles and drops are usually prescribed for babies up to the age of three, because other forms of antiviral drugs are harder to give (syrup, tablets). After three years, you can apply any kind of these medicines according to the age-related dosage.
Antiviral drugs for children under one year old
Kids of the first year of life are the most vulnerable group of children. That is why antiviral for children of this age group should be not only effective, but also as safe as possible. Antiviral drugs for children used in medicine for this category are as follows:
- Oscillococcinum ;
- Imupret;
- Vibracol;
- Viferon;
- Anaferon.
Antiviral drugs for children from 1 year
Whatever medicines the parents give to the child in the virus, they should all be prescribed by the treating doctor. After all, most antiviral drugs for children can adversely affect the development of the baby, instead of benefiting. At an age after one year, the range of medications used is slightly enlarged and already includes:
- Remantadine ;
- Tamiflu;
- Aflubin;
- Citovir-3.
Antiviral drugs for children from 2 years
Prescribing antiviral drugs for children 2 years old, the doctor is guided by the fact that the child's body has already been sufficiently strengthened and stronger means can be used. At this age, it is customary to prescribe syrups and preparations in the form of rectal suppositories, because the tablet form can cause problems with taking, since the baby is still very small. Arbidol is added to the list of approved drugs at this age.
Antiviral drugs for children from 3 years
The best thing that can be offered from a virus to children are drugs that not only cause the body to produce its own interferon, but also stimulate the immune system. Children at the age of three begin to massively attend a kindergarten and the incidence sharply increases. To prevent this, in the autumn-spring period, in addition to vitamin complexes, it is necessary to take antiviral drugs for children as prevention and treatment. They simultaneously increase resistance to diseases and treat. These include:
- Kipferon;
- Derinat;
- Bronhomunal;
- Imudon;
- Immunal.
The best antiviral drugs for children
Select antiviral drugs are inexpensive, but effective for children is not easy. After all, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the organism of a particular child, the action of the drug itself and many other nuances. Therefore, not always the price-quality ratio here will be appropriate. In general, a child's antiviral agent for colds has a mild effect on the baby's body and, with a correctly calculated dosage, can not harm. The most popular means, well-proven and loved by moms are:
- Aflubin;
- Amyzonchik;
- Ergoferon;
- Oscillococcinum;
- Gripferon;
- Isoprinosine;
- Kagocel;
- Immunoflavid;
- Imupret;
- Immunal.
Baby antiviral candles
For those children who can not drink syrup or from its composition there is a threat of allergy, there are antiviral suppositories for children belonging to the group of interferons. They can be used for any age group, but are best suited for toddlers. In this case, there is no problem with their use, whereas older children do not like such treatment. Antiviral drugs for children in the form of suppositories must be stored in the refrigerator and extracted immediately before use. For the treatment of viral diseases, the following are recommended:
- Viferon;
- Genferon;
- Kipferon;
- Laferobion.
Baby antiviral in syrup
Using children's antiviral drugs in liquid form, parents need to understand that some components that make up (dyes, sweeteners), the baby can have an allergic reaction. That is why the first reception of a new medicine should be kept under control and have an antihistamine at your fingertips. In addition to the main active ingredient, the antiviral syrup for children contains:
- sucrose;
- dibasol;
- ascorbic acid;
- dye E122;
- sodium alginate.
Antiviral drops in the nose for children
As an alternative to syrups, antiviral drops for children are widely used. They are convenient to use, from much easier to drip than to give in the form of syrup, and the cost does not exceed other dosage forms. Antiviral drugs for children in the form of drops have in their composition interferon, which helps to fight the virus immediately after ingestion. The earlier treatment is started, the more effective it is, but from the fourth day of the disease their use becomes meaningless. Such drops are recommended:
- Nasoferon;
- Laferon;
- Gripferon;
- Genferon;
- Interferon.
Children's Antiviral Tablets
When the baby becomes older (after 3-5 years), for treatment it is already possible to use a child antiviral agent in tableted form. Its effectiveness will not be higher or lower, but it all depends on when to start taking the tablets. It is better to do this from the first day to the third day, after all, the body starts to produce its own interferon, which is necessary for fighting the virus. The doctor can prescribe such antiviral drugs for children:
- Ergoferon;
- Oscillococcinum;
- Anaferon child;
- Arbidol;
- Cytovir 3;
- Amizon;
- Remantadine.
Prevention of virus in children
In addition to the therapeutic effect, interferon-containing drugs are used to prevent diseases. Antiviral prophylaxis for children is prescribed before the beginning of the season of respiratory diseases. In addition, they are needed when the child begins to attend a kindergarten or school, where he will inevitably encounter numerous viruses and bacteria. Two weeks before this, you should start to give the selected drug, according to the age dosage.
In addition to the usual syrups and drops in the nose during the flu epidemic, for many years, used oksolinovaya ointment, which lubricate the nasal passages. It contains active ingredient oxolin, which has a high activity in relation to a large army of viruses. Paraffin-based ointment is practically not absorbed, and therefore it is safe even for small children. It is used immediately before leaving the room, and then wipe with a napkin.