Forlax for children: instructions for use

Constipation is one of the common problems and often appears in childhood. This is usually associated with insufficient maturity of the digestive system in babies, infection with parasites, eating disorders and many other factors. To normalize the process of emptying and increasing intestinal motility, the doctor may prescribe laxatives, such as Forlax.

Such a drug is called safe and effective, which allows its use in young children. However, before giving this medicine to a baby, it is worth knowing more about its mechanism of action, contraindications and dosages permitted for children.

"Forlax" is a French drug, presented only in one dosage form. This powder is packed in laminated paper bags of 4 grams or 10 grams each. The medicine with a smaller amount of powder is called Forlax for children, which is marked on its packaging.

The powder itself is almost white in color and readily soluble in water, forming a translucent white liquid. The drug has the smell of orange and grapefruit, and the taste is divorced means sweet. The children's version of Forlaks is sold in packs of 20 bags each, and one package of adult product can contain both 20 and 10 portion bags.

The active ingredient of the drug, through which "Forlax" affects the digestive system, is called macrogol 4000 or ethylene glycol. Its dosage corresponds to the weight of the powder in the bag, that is, from one bag you can get either 4 or 10 grams of macrogol.

It is the weight of such an ingredient that is what distinguishes the children's “Forlax” from the adult. The auxiliary components of both drug options are identical. They include sodium saccharinate added to the powder for a sweet taste, as well as orange-grapefruit flavor, which includes orange juice, sorbitol, grapefruit oil and other compounds.

"Forlax" in its mechanism of action refers to osmotic laxatives, because macrogol has a polymer structure and a significant molecular weight. This allows such a substance to absorb water and retain it through hydrogen bonds.

After taking the medicine through the mouth, it passes through the stomach and enters the intestine, where it attracts water and increases in volume, which leads to a decrease in density and an increase in the volume of feces. As a result, the more voluminous contents of the intestine begins to come into contact with its walls and act on the nerve receptors. It is because of this that peristalsis increases and intestinal emptying occurs.

The effect of the use of "Forlaks" comes after 24-48 hours - in most cases, the child empties the bowels the next day.

The main indication for the use of Forlax in childhood is constipation. In this case, the drug only eliminates such a discomfort symptom, but does not affect the cause of its occurrence.For example, Forlax is effective for constipation caused by a change in diet. These include new foods complementary foods, the transition from breastfeeding to infant formula, the lack of a child's menu of vegetables, vegetable oil or dairy products.

The drug helps to empty the intestines and in case of constipation, provoked by insufficient fluid intake or rapid loss of it, for example, in hot weather or when the body temperature rises.

He is often prescribed for psychological constipation, when the child is restrained (for example, because of an unusual place or fear of pain), and then he cannot normally go to the toilet, as well as when a disorder called calomatization appears. The powder can also be used for constipation caused by taking any medication, if you can not cancel such funds.

Sometimes Forlax is used after surgery as a means that normalizes stools and prevents constipation in the postoperative period. This medication is also in demand when preparing a patient for various examinations, the results of which may be affected by intestinal fullness (ultrasound, endoscopy). In such cases, Forlax is used prior to the procedure in order to gently cleanse the intestines and obtain reliable data.

Forlax bags containing 4 grams of macrogol 4000 each are intended for patients older than six months and can be used up to 8 years of age. However, you should not give this medicine to a small child without a doctor's prescription. The drug for adults, a portion of which includes 10 g of the active ingredient, is prescribed to children over 8 years old.

Although the use of "Forlax" is allowed in childhood, but the treatment with such a remedy has its limitations:

• it cannot be used in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, for example, with ulcerative colitis;
• the drug is contraindicated in case of intestinal obstruction (both in partial and full), or in case of suspicion of this pathology;
• it is not used in a serious condition such as toxic megacolon;
• You can not give "Forlax" and symptomatic bowel stenosis;

• the drug should not be used in children with sudden abdominal pain, the cause of which has not yet been identified (before giving the diluted powder to the child, any organic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract should be excluded);
• the drug is prohibited when perforation of the intestine or at risk of this complication;
• "Forlax" is not used when a patient is hypersensitive to any of its ingredients;
• Since the composition of the powder includes sorbitol, it is not used in children with fructose intolerance.

During treatment with Forlax, various negative reactions of the digestive tract can occur. Many children have abdominal pain, but they are not pronounced and soon pass. It may also cause diarrhea and associated irritation of the skin around the anus. Some children after taking the drug complain of nausea or bloating. In isolated cases, Forlax causes an intolerance reaction in the form of edema, urticaria, or skin rash.

Unlike some other laxatives, Forlax does not provoke addiction when defecation occurs only after taking the drug. This allows you to use the powder and in children who have constipation have become a chronic problem. Even if you use the medicine for several months, its cancellation will not impair the bowels.

To give Forlax to a child, you must first dissolve the amount of sachets prescribed by your doctor in water. This should be done immediately before taking.For dilution of 4 grams of powder, it is recommended to take about 50 ml of liquid, and to dissolve the contents of one sachet with 10 g of the medicine a glass of water of 250 ml is required.

Children's Forlax is prescribed according to the following scheme:

• A child of 6-12 months can only be given 1 sachet per day. Usually it is recommended to drink the liquid prepared from it in the morning - 1-1.5 hours before breakfast.
• If a small patient is between one and four years old, the doctor often also prescribes one 4 g bag in the morning. However, in some cases, you have to drink the medicine additionally, then the child is given another bag in the evening.
• If the child is 4 to 8 years old, the daily dosage will be from 2 to 4 sachets of 4 grams each. It is usually divided into two doses - part of the drug is given in the morning, and the remaining dose is taken in the evening.

Patients older than eight years old are discharged Forlax for adults. This medicine is often given only once (in the morning) at a dose of 1 sachet. In some cases, the doctor prescribes an additional reception of another bag in the evening.

How long to take the drug, the doctor determines, because for this it is important to take into account the reaction of the child’s body to a laxative and the cause of constipation. However, in the annotation to the powder, it is noted that it is not necessary to give "Forlax" for more than three months.

If a child, through negligence, has taken too much medication, it can cause diarrhea, which soon after the cancellation of Forlax, disappears. However, in some patients, diarrhea can be quite intense, which leads to an imbalance of electrolytes and fluids. In this case, it is important to ensure the recovery of lost minerals and water with the help of pharmacy solutions or abundant drinking.

If the child is taking Forlax, it should be borne in mind that any medications used with such a laxative agent will be absorbed worse. For this reason, if you need to take other medicines, a break of at least 2 hours is required.

Both children's Forlax and adult medication are non-prescription drugs. A pack of 20 bags of 4 g costs about 270-280 rubles, and the price of 10 bags of Forlax for adults is about 150 rubles.

Bags should be kept out of the reach of children. The storage temperature recommended by the manufacturer is not higher than +30 degrees Celsius. The expiration date of "Forlax" in any dosage is 3 years.

More than 80% of reviews on the use of Forlax for children are positive. They describe the medicine as a mild and effective remedy that quickly helped to eliminate constipation and improved the condition of the child. The taste of the drug does not cause a protest in most children, and the portion packaging is called moms quite convenient to use.

The advantages of the product include the absence of a negative effect on the intestinal walls, the action exclusively in the intestinal lumen, the possibility of use from six months and in diabetes mellitus. As for the minuses, in some patients the powder provoked side symptoms, and the price of the medicine is sometimes called high.

Replace "Forlax" can other means, the effect of which is provided by the same active ingredient. These include the drugs "Forteza Rompharm", "Lavacol" and "Fortrans", but because of the higher dosage of macrogol, such funds have age limits - they are prescribed, respectively, for patients over 12, 15 or 18 years old. If you need a laxative for young children, the doctor may prescribe one of these drugs:

• «Glitselaks». This medicine is used in children older than 3 months for reflex stimulation of the motor function of the intestine. It is produced in the form of rectal suppositories containing glycerol. Children are prescribed suppositories of 0.75 g of glycerin.

• «Microlax». This tool is a microclyster containing a combination of three active compounds - sorbitol, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate and sodium citrate. They attract water to the intestines and thereby liquefy the food lump, which facilitates emptying. The drug is called safe for children, so the doctor can prescribe it even to newborn babies.
• «Duphalac». The action of such a syrup provides lactulose, which, like macrogol, has a hyperosmotic effect. In addition to increasing the volume of intestinal contents and activating peristalsis, Duphalac also has a positive effect on normal microflora. In children it is allowed to use from birth. Analogues of this tool are drugs "Portal", "NormaseAnd Goodluck.

• «Guttalaks». This tool acts on the intestines due to the presence in its composition of sodium picosulfate. This ingredient stimulates natural emptying. The drug is produced in two forms - drops, which can be given to children older than 2 years old (having previously coordinated such use with a pediatrician) and tablets prescribed to patients older than 4 years. Instead, drugs can be used and its analogues, for example, "Slabilen", "Laksigal" or "Guttasil."

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you about how to help your child cope with constipation in the next video.