Sumamed® forte for children: instructions for use

Children can be treated with antibiotics only if they are prescribed by a doctor. But parents need to know and understand when these drugs can help. Sumamed ® Forte is produced with different tastes so that children take the medicine with pleasure.

"Sumamed ® forte" is a powder from which a suspension is prepared at home, that is, a liquid with fine particles suspended in it. The powder can be white or slightly yellowish, and after cooking in accordance with the instructions, it turns into a white suspension. Available in banana, strawberry and raspberry flavors.

The Sumamed ® Forte package contains a glass bottle with 16.74 or 29.295 g of powder with a concentration of 100 mg / 5 ml or 200 mg / 5 ml. Also in the package there is a measuring spoon and a special syringe.

In tablets "Sumamed ® forte" is not made. Sometimes children are given Sumamed tablets 125 mg.

The active component of the powder is azithromycin dihydradate. It is an antibiotic synthesized by pharmacists in the 1980s. Since then, it has been marketed in Eastern Europe and Russia under the brand name “Sumamed". In other countries, it is available under the brand "Zitromaks"

1 gram of powder for the preparation of a suspension "Sumamed ® forte" contains more than 50 mg of the main component.

The composition of the powder also includes auxiliary components. This is sucrose, sodium phosphate - a food additive that ensures the uniformity of the suspension. It is added, for example, in melted cheese to give it the desired consistency. Titanium dioxide is also included in the powder - a white dye used in the food industry and in the production of cosmetics, flavors in accordance with the taste of the powder, xanthan gum is a natural chemical compound, saccharide in nature.

Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This means that it acts equally effectively not only against one specific pathogen, but is also used to combat a variety of microorganisms of various etiologies.

Upon contact with the causative agent of the disease, the substance inhibits the production of protein within the cells of the virus or bacteria. This prevents bacteria from multiplying, so the substance is able to fight various pathogens. In particular, these are different types of staphylococcus, chlamydia, mycoplasma, streptococcus and some others. Including microorganisms resistant to penicillin antibiotics, as well as intracellular pathogens, are exposed to azithromycin exposure.

Such a widespread effect on various pathogens has made azithromycin one of the most popular antibiotics in the United States and Western Europe. In Russia, "Sumamed ® forte" is prescribed for various infectious diseases associated with inflammation. This, for example, diseases of the nasopharynx, including sinusitis, otitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis. The drug is effective if the pathogens are sensitive to the main component

Effectively a cure for and infectious diseases that hit the lower respiratory tract. This including bronchitis in acute course, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, regardless of the pathogen.

Sumamed ® Forte is successfully fighting against skin infections, Lyme disease, which is considered the initial stage of a serious disease - barreliosis. This disease is transmitted with a tick bite and does not always manifest itself immediately after infection.

"Sumamed ® forte" is prescribed for children from 6 months. However, the use of the drug alone is not recommended. When prescribing an antibiotic at an early age, for example, at 2 months, the doctor carefully assesses the benefits of the use with possible damage that the antibiotic can cause to the child.

“Sumamed ® forte” is not prescribed to patients, regardless of age, who have been diagnosed with severe abnormal liver and kidney function, since the drug is processed and excreted through these organs in the body, and the additional load may adversely affect health.

Also a contraindication is the individual sensitivity or even intolerance as to one of the components of the drug, which is known before the start of use, and to the antibiotics of the macropid group as a whole.

Instructions for use notes that side effects when taking "Sumamed ® forte" are rare - in about 1% of cases. However, undesirable symptoms may occur. So, in children it can be a headache, especially in the treatment of otitis media, as well as flatulence, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite. Sometimes there are dizziness, poor sleep, anxiety increases. There are various allergic manifestations on the skin - rash, urticaria, itching.

Some symptoms, especially in young children, cannot be accurately ascertained. But if the child after taking the medicine worries, cries, does not sleep well, he has irritation on the skin, parents need to react. The most important thing is not to give the child any more medicine and consult a doctor. If it is confirmed that the symptoms that have appeared are associated with the use of Sumamed ® Forte, the pediatrician will prescribe symptomatic treatment and select a replacement for the drug.

Ignore side effects are very dangerous. For example, allergic manifestations without appropriate actions on the part of parents and the attending physician can develop into angioedema.

In the treatment of infectious diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, children older than 6 months are given a suspension of 10 mg per 1 kg of weight. Reception is held once a day for no more than 3 days in a row. It is important that the course dosage for children should not exceed 30 mg.

Of great importance and correct preparation of the suspension. Using a special syringe add the desired volume of water. The exact amount is written in the instructions. Immediately after taking the medicine, the child should be given a drink to wash away the medicine remaining in the mouth.

It is important to adhere to the dose indicated in the instructions, but if an overdose does occur, children may develop symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. In some cases, children may experience temporary hearing loss.

If one of these symptoms, as well as any other, that parents can associate with Sumamed ® Forte, manifested itself, stop taking the medicine and seek medical help. If the child is small, it is better to play it safe and call an ambulance. Treatment of symptoms of overdose is carried out according to the purpose and under the supervision of a physician.

The list of drugs that Sumamed ® Forte can interact with is quite long.Not all of them are approved for use in children. But, for example, when taken simultaneously with antacid preparations, the concentration of the antibiotic decreases by 30%, which means that the effectiveness of treatment decreases. It is better that about 2 hours pass between taking these medicines.

Therefore, if a child takes any other drugs, then when prescribing "Sumamed ® Forte" you need to warn the doctor about it. Perhaps he will correct the treatment, given this factor.

"Sumamed ® forte" refers to drugs that can be bought at a pharmacy only prescription. It should be kept at home in a cool place, preferably at an air temperature not higher than 25 ° C and in a place that is inaccessible to children. The shelf life of the powder in a sealed vial is 2 years, the finished suspension is 5 days.

You can not use the drug after the expiration date, as well as ready-made suspension, stood for more than 5 days.

Parents who write reviews about the experience of treating children "Sumamed ® forte", point out several main advantages of the drug. The first is efficiency. The drug relieves the condition on the first day of treatment, cures green snot, prolonged cough and even bronchitis in a few days.

The second is a convenient package containing everything you need and detailed instructions for preparing the suspension. If you strictly adhere to the instructions, the drug can not be overdose, which reduces the likelihood of side effects.

Another advantage is a pleasant taste that does not need to be masked with juice or sweets. Children have no problem drinking the required volume of suspension. In addition, there are several tastes and if the child does not like the banana taste, you can choose, for example, raspberry powder.

It is important that the drug should be taken only once a day, since this dosage provides an effect for the whole day. Parents who know how difficult it is to get the child drunk with the medicine rated this quality as Sumamed ® forte. This is especially noted by parents of small children - up to a year. As well as a form of suspension, which is convenient to give to children at an early age. No need to swallow pills or grind them. The form of the suspension is familiar to the child at an early age, who eats mashed potatoes and porridge.

For parents, it is important that the medicine is as safe as possible, so another advantage of the drug is that it is produced by a large European company that guarantees compliance with quality standards and technology at all stages of production.

But despite the European manufacturer, the price of medicines in the Russian market remains low. In addition, Sumamed ® Forte can be used not only for the treatment of children of different ages, but also for adults. Therefore, in case the whole family is sick, as is often the case, it is enough to buy one medicine for everyone, and not to spend money to buy the medicine for each family member individually.

If the pharmacy is not available "Sumamed ® forte", then the drug can be replaced with other drugs, where the main active substance is azithromycin. This is already mentioned "Zintromaks", as well as "Zintrolid", "Azitral", "Aziroks" and some others.

For example, in the form of powder for the preparation of suspensions produced "Aziroks" 100mg / 5ml Russian manufacturer. This analogue is sold at approximately the same price as Sumamed ® forte. Suspension of 100 mg / 5 ml in Moscow costs about 200 rubles, and the price of “Sumamed ® forte” with the same content of active ingredient is about 230 rubles.

But most analogues are offered in pharmacies in the form of tablets. This is very inconvenient in treating young children, as they have to be further crushed and diluted so that the child can drink it.

For information on how to properly prepare a suspension of the drug, see the following video.