Anaferon for children is considered one of the safest aids in the treatment of many colds, flu, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract, decreased immunity, and viral infections of various origins. The drug has antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects, but is prescribed as an auxiliary, and not an independent, treatment. It increases the body's resistance to diseases at the prevention stage, helps to recover faster in the midst of illness and is effective in eliminating complications.
Despite the fact that Anaferon is considered a safe drug, responsible parents want to know whether side effects on the body are possible, and what to do if they accidentally or intentionally take a large dose of the drug. The composition of Anaferon, its effect on the body and measures in case of overdose will be discussed further.
Anaferon for children. Dosage, frequency and period of administration
Depending on the stage and type of disease, the attending physician prescribes certain doses, frequency and period of taking the drug. If viral infections were detected in the early stages, the small patient needs to take one tablet every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours. Then the number of tablets is reduced to 3 per day. Anaferon should be taken until complete recovery. The attending physician may prescribe daily use of this drug for a period of 1 to 3 months in special cases.
When treating herpesvirus infections with Anaferon, the baby should take 1 tablet 8 times a day, and if chronic diseases recur, the doctor prescribes 1 tablet per day.
This medicine combines well with other antiviral and medicines for fungal diseases. At present, Anaferon has not been found to be incompatible with other medications. The instructions themselves say that Anaferon is not capable of causing various negative reactions in the body. It is prescribed for the treatment of diseases of children under 18 years of age. Anaferon tablets must be kept in the mouth until the drug is completely dissolved.
Compound
| Lozenges | 1 table |
| antibodies to human interferon gamma, affinity purified (applied to lactose monohydrate in the form of a water-alcohol mixture containing no more than 10−15 ng/g of the active form of the active substance) | 0.003 g |
| excipients: lactose monohydrate - 0.267 g; MCC - 0.03 g; magnesium stearate - 0.003 g |
Anaferon belongs to the class of immunomodulators with an antiviral effect. The main active component is antibodies, which, when entering the body, stimulate the secretion of its own interferon. The excipients do not have any clinical effect and do not cause an allergy to the drug.
The action of Anaferon is aimed at reducing the concentration and blocking the activity of pathological agents in the affected area, stimulating “early” interferons, activating local and general immunity, and increasing the functionality of phagocytes. In addition, Anaferon has an antimutagenic effect, i.e.
Dr. Komarovsky and the experts who agree with him believe that the effectiveness of Anaferon is nullified due to the impossibility of active substances entering the blood due to the method of introducing them into the body. Allegedly, antibodies are broken down in the gastrointestinal tract during the digestion process and simply do not reach their goal.
Help with poisoning
According to the manufacturer, Anaferon for children and overdose are incompatible concepts. Poisoning can only occur if the baby is intolerant to lactose, which is present in the drug. In most cases, parents know about the presence of this pathology in their child, since it is congenital. According to medical statistics, about 18% of children suffer from this disease, which is characterized by inadequate functioning of the lactase enzyme, which breaks down milk proteins.
In cases where a child took Anaferon before the parents learned about the presence of lactose, the following symptoms of poisoning may appear:
- abdominal muscle spasms,
- vomiting or signs of nausea,
- flatulence,
- diarrhea.
If these symptoms of dyspepsia are detected, you must urgently call an ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, the baby should be given plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. In certain cases, you may need to go to the hospital with your child.
It should be noted that such unpleasant situations can be avoided by reading the instructions for the drug before use and by consulting with your doctor.
User reviews about Anaferon overdose
None of the parents is immune from accidents: as soon as you let your child out of sight for two minutes, his knowledge of the world will switch to things that are not entirely safe. That is why there are a lot of cases when a child independently gets to the home medicine cabinet and “tastes” its contents. More often, children swallow pills and vitamins with a pleasant smell or familiar taste. This also applies to children's Anaferon - it has a sweetish taste so that the child does not resist taking it.
But this can also have a downside. Often children, having tried the drug, strive to eat these “sweets” on their own. There are many cases when a child ate most of the tablets from the package. It is worth reading the information on parenting forums to make sure of this.
Each message usually begins with the words “what to do” and “help.” In the case of Anaferon, more experienced parents often reassure and say that nothing bad will happen. They give examples from their own experience where a child ate a handful of these tablets and showed no signs of side effects. All reviews mainly concern the fact that it is impossible to get poisoned with homeopathic medicines. The most significant thing they do is often give the child water to drink (so that the remaining drug is eliminated naturally) and a weak infusion of chamomile; the more daring ones try to induce vomiting.
Of course, it is important to read such data, but only for your own peace of mind (to overcome initial panic and think about a plan for further action). But it’s still not worth exposing your health to the opinions of strangers on the Internet. Rely on common sense and your own knowledge. If you are not completely sure that the child, in addition to Anaferon, has not eaten other drugs, be sure to contact an ambulance! In this case, it is better to listen to the dissatisfied comments of her employees about the false call, but at the same time make sure that the child is not in danger. Keep medications out of the reach of children and stay healthy!
We also recommend that you find out the symptoms and consequences in adults and children with an overdose of Glycine.
Consequences for the child’s body
Manufacturers of Anaferon for children claim in the instructions that an overdose of this medication has not yet been recorded. Consequently, even taking tablets in excess of the norm, in children without diseases with the absorption of lactose, will not cause poisoning of the body.
Theoretically, in addition to lactose, components such as antibodies to interferon, cellulose and magnesium can also worsen your health after taking more than the permissible norm.
What actually happens when you overdose with this drug:
- Lactose will cause a deterioration in well-being only if the child suffers from intolerance to this component. In such a situation, there is a possibility of dyspepsia. For children who do not suffer from this disease, an overdose of Anaferon will not cause negative consequences, since the concentration of lactose in the drug is not high.
- Antibodies to interferon are also present in the medicine in small quantities; this will not negatively affect the child’s general well-being.
- Cellulose is a substance that absorbs toxins in the body and helps eliminate them. It is not absorbed by the human digestive system, therefore, it does not pose a danger to the baby’s body.
- In large quantities, magnesium helps calm a person, but even if a child takes a whole package of Anaferon, nothing will happen, since the amount of magnesium in this medicine is very small.
The above data characterize Anaferon for children as a safe medical drug even in large quantities. Possible negative consequences can only occur if the child is lactose intolerant.
Therapy
What to do if an overdose of anaferon occurs? If parents know for sure that their child has taken a large number of tablets, then they can let the child drink more liquid so that the medicine is eliminated from the body faster. In addition, in case of overdose, the use of sorbents for the same purpose is permitted. If the baby's condition does not worsen, then there is no need to worry. If you are lactose intolerant, you should take an overdose of anaferon more seriously. If necessary, you should seek medical help and the prescription of medications that normalize the activity of all body systems. This is especially true for the occurrence of overdose in very young children.
Indications for use
It is necessary to use Anaferon only when prescribed by your attending physician and strictly following the instructions, in fact, like all other medications. To achieve the maximum effect of treatment, there are specific instructions for taking Anaferon, among which the following diseases are most often present:
- Acute respiratory viral infection and influenza, for the diagnosis of which this drug is well suited for treatment. Anaferon can also be prescribed by the attending physician for preventive purposes.
- Anaferon tablets actively help get rid of mononucleosis, chicken pox and genital herpes with complex therapy.
- In the treatment of chronic infections, the drug performs an auxiliary function in complex treatment. In addition, Anaferon helps to increase remission and can be prescribed as a preventive medicine.
- Other infectious diseases with an acute and viral course. Experts include various rotaviruses and tick-borne encephalitis as such. In addition to treatment, the medicine is used as an important component of complex treatment, as well as for preventive purposes.
- With complex therapy, Anaferon helps get rid of various bacterial infections.
- Anaferon for children is prescribed to children suffering from bronchial asthma or various types of allergies.
- This drug is prescribed as part of complex therapy when abnormalities in the normal functioning of the child’s immune system are detected.
Purpose of the drug
Anaferon for children is a homeopathic remedy. In this regard, there are many skeptics who doubt the effectiveness of this drug. But no less than those whom he helped to more easily endure many diseases and recover much faster. It’s worth clarifying here that Anaferon is intended for the prevention and stimulation of the cellular and humoral immune response, but not an independent medicine.
The main component of Anaferon is antibodies to interferon. The other two - lactose and magnesium stearate - are presented in very small quantities and are auxiliary for the absorption of the main active component.
Clinical studies show the effectiveness of children's Anaferon against various types of influenza, parainfluenza, herpes viruses, enterovirus infections, rotavirus and many others. The product reduces the concentration of these viruses and infections in body tissues, activates the formation of antibodies to them, and increases the functionality of immune cells.
Thus, Anaferon is prescribed as an auxiliary in the treatment of such diseases: ARVI, herpes, chicken pox, acute and chronic viral infections caused by tick-borne encephalitis viruses, rotavirus and others, bacterial infections, for the prevention of various viral diseases during the season and the treatment of their consequences.
Contraindications
Despite the absence of negative consequences when taking Anaferon in most cases, there are certain groups of children who are prohibited from using the drug. Doctors include these categories:
- newborns who have not yet reached the 1st month,
- children who have individual intolerance to one or more components included in the medicinal product.
Anaferon for children is a very effective drug, but it must be recommended by a pediatrician.
Doctors' opinion
Anaferon can be purchased at a pharmacy. The fact that it is a homeopathic remedy often makes people wary.
Experts' opinions about this remedy are quite contradictory. For example, Dr. Komarovsky believes that there is little benefit from anaferon. Other medical professionals recommend the drug during epidemics due to its simple and safe composition, as well as the absence of side effects and the impossibility of overdose.
Parents' opinions are also mixed. However, the lack of chemicals and the ability to increase the baby’s immunity come first.
The medicine has analogues - Kagocel, enterferon, aflubin. They differ in cost and some substances in the composition. However, to choose the right drug, you should contact a medical institution.
Storage conditions and shelf life
Store in a dry place, protected from light, out of reach of children, at a temperature not exceeding 25°C. Shelf life: 3 years.
What does children's Anaferon help with: instructions for use - tips and recommendations on News4Health.ru
Life in the modern world is replete with many factors that negatively affect human health. The main ones are poor ecology, questionable quality of food, contaminated drinking water, poor quality medical care, as well as stressful situations and bad habits. Therefore, it is so important to pay attention to regular healing of the body using various methods and means. Be sure to consult a specialist so as not to harm your health!
Analogs
For children, there are many analogues of the drug Anaferon, which have a similar principle of action. So, among them:
- Ergoferon (can be used from 6 months);
- Viferon (can be used from 1 year);
- —Arbidol— (can be used from 3 years);
- Orvirem (can be used from 1 year);
- Grippferon (can be used from birth);
- —Aflubin— (can be used from birth);
- Kagocel (can be used from 3 years), etc.
Prevention
Despite all the harmlessness of Anaferon, it must be stored completely out of reach of the child, like all other medications. It is best not to show small children the packaging of tablets, so as not to provoke the risk of self-administration. And of course, if a child is diagnosed with lactase deficiency or other digestive disorders, it is best to stop using the medicine.
Anaferon, from a medical point of view, is a completely safe drug for children, but with unproven scientific effectiveness. However, the placebo effect (self-hypnosis) “works” 100%. Practice shows that taking homeopathic tablets during an acute viral illness gives positive clinical results in most patients.
