Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
The mechanism of action of simethicone is based on reducing the surface tension of gas bubbles formed in the intestines, which leads to their rupture. Simethicone acts on the surface of gas bubbles without affecting the mucous membrane and is not absorbed, therefore it is harmless to the child’s body. The released gas is removed from the intestines naturally, while digestion is normalized and nutrients are better absorbed.
The drug does not affect gastric secretion. There is no habituation to it. In terms of pharmacological treatment, colic is considered one of the most effective carminatives. Prescribed during the onset of pain (pain disappears within 10 minutes) or for the purpose of prevention with each feeding.
Pharmacokinetics
After oral administration, it is not absorbed from the intestine and is excreted unchanged.
Enzyme-enriched preparations
Enzymes are special substances that help break down nutrients (in particular milk sugar) in the intestines.
Modern medicines mainly contain digestion catalysts such as amylases, lipases and proteases. Of all the drugs containing enzymes, infants are most often prescribed:
- Mezim;
- Creon;
- Lactazar (the latter is recommended exclusively for lactose deficiency and may be completely useless in all other cases).
Instructions for use of Espumisan Baby drops
Children's Espumisan is a drug in drops in bottles with a dropper, with which you can accurately dose the drops by holding the bottle vertically with the pipette down. Remember that the bottle is shaken before use.
Instructions for Espumisan for newborns
How many drops to give to a newborn? Give 5-10 drops during each feeding or after, but no more than 5 times a day.
How to take Espumisan for newborns? The drug is given from a spoon; if that doesn’t work, you can add it to a bottle of water or formula. To avoid negative consequences, you cannot prescribe the drug to your child on your own, but only on the recommendation of a pediatrician. It can exclude a pathology such as intestinal obstruction, in which the drug is contraindicated. This medicine is effective for increased gas formation that occurs during the period of adaptation of the digestive system, which is still imperfect in infants. Since not enough enzymes are produced, gas formation is inevitable.
Instructions for use for older children: the drug is given to children from 1 to 6 years old, 10 drops up to 5 times a day, over 6 years old - 20 drops up to 5 times. If you do not find Espumisan Baby in the pharmacy, you can use Espumisan 40 or Espumisan L, however, the dose will be higher, since these drugs contain 8 mg and 40 mg of simethicone in 1 ml, respectively, and not 100 mg. Newborns and children up to one year old are given 1 measuring spoon (or 25 drops) during each feeding, children from 6 years old 2 measuring spoons (or 50 drops) up to 5 times a day. Any drug can be taken long-term.
Anti-colic medications prescribed for newborns
Anti-colic medications for newborns are produced primarily in liquid form.
Medicines for newborns are available in both liquid form and capsules. The latter should under no circumstances be given to the baby in their “pristine” form.
The capsule should be broken, and the powder that spills out should be diluted with water or breast milk. Typically, to relieve colic in newborns, pediatricians prescribe drugs from one of the following groups:
- containing probiotics;
- based on a special active ingredient “simethicone”;
- rich in digestive enzymes;
- based on natural herbs.
Let us consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of the listed types in more detail.
Analogs
Level 4 ATC code matches:
Disflatil
Mint tablets
Kuplaton
Espumisan
Espumisan L
Espumisan 40
Bobotik
Dill water
Pepsan-R
Sub Simplex
Infacol
Plantex
Bebinos
Dicetel
Meteospasmil
Romazulan
Analogue for children:
- Bobotik
- Sub Simplex
- Baby Calm
- Happy Baby
- Plantex
Bobotik is approved for children from 28 days of age, contains raspberry flavor and citric acid, and does not contain milk sugar.
Simplex suspension is used from birth. The suspension is not viscous, separates and requires careful shaking. Should be used with caution in children prone to allergic reactions. Espumisan for children is also used from birth, but the emulsion is more viscous in consistency compared to the suspension.
Which is better: Plantex or Espumisan for newborns?
These are drugs with different active ingredients. Plantex are granules for making tea, containing fennel fruit extract. It has a carminative effect (prevents the formation of gases), improves digestion, eliminates spasms. It can be given to newborns from 2 weeks of age as a drink. Diluted tea does not change its properties during the day. The drug contains lactose, so tea should not be given to children with lactase deficiency. Pediatricians note that children are often allergic to the drug. Parents also report this in their reviews.
What is better than Espumisan for children? First of all, it is physiologically inert, not absorbed, and does not contain lactose. It can be used for a long time without fear of addiction and the appearance of any side effects.
Causes of colic in children
The causes of colic in babies differ; only a doctor can determine what exactly triggered the spasm. Most often, unpleasant symptoms are associated with the physiological characteristics of the infant’s digestive system.
The appearance of colic is influenced by:
- Lack of necessary enzymes to digest food.
- Immaturity of the nervous and endocrine systems that regulate the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Disturbances of intestinal microflora.
- Incorrect feeding technique, which causes the baby to swallow air.
- Food allergy to components of mother's milk or formula.
In some cases, spasm can be triggered by stress. In addition, it is important for a nursing mother to follow a diet and quit smoking.
If sharp abdominal pain and bloating torment a child for more than 3 hours in a row, they can be caused by complications in a small body - intestinal infections, lactase deficiency. At the same time, only 5% of colics become a consequence of more serious diseases, but to make an accurate diagnosis you need to consult a specialist.
Symptoms that urgently require the help of a pediatrician:
- elevated temperature;
- increased regurgitation;
- diarrhea;
- lethargy;
- coughing;
- allergic reactions on the skin;
- noticeable pulsation of the fontanel.
The pediatrician will help determine the cause of colic, if necessary, write a referral for tests, and prescribe the necessary medications.
Reviews
Infantile colic begins to bother the child at 2–3 weeks of life and continues until 3–6 months. To eliminate them, there is children's Espumisan. Questions often arise: can it be given to a newborn and how to give it to an infant? Let's look at these questions. A child under 28 days of age is considered a newborn. Espumisan L and Espumisan 40 are approved for use in children from birth. They do not contain lactose. For ease of dosing, they have a measuring spoon or pipette. These drugs can be given to a newborn without fear, and the dosage is the same as for infants (from 1 month to a year). For newborns and infants, the drug is prescribed 1 scoop or 25 drops. Give directly from a spoon, mixed with a small amount of milk, added to milk mixture or water.
How often can Espumisan be given to newborns? The drug is given after each feeding. How many times can you give to an infant? In the same way - after each feeding, up to 5 times a day. This drug intake is preventive. Can only be given during colic. Some pediatricians believe that these drugs are best given during colic, and not for the purpose of preventing it. It has been reliably proven that this drug does not cause side effects and long-term use is possible without harm.
Reviews about Espumisan for newborns are varied. There are reviews that parents tried all the drugs, and only Espumisan helped. Some people are helped by this drug, others by Plantex, and some by dill water, massage, a warm heating pad on the tummy and removal of gases using a gas tube. Sometimes children refuse to drink Espumisan (they spit out the medicine), but Baby Calm and Sub Simplex are taken with pleasure. You need to choose the drug that brings relief to your child. You can try everything together. For example, any drug based on simethicone and Baby Calm.
Consult your pediatrician about taking Bifidumbacterin . In addition, a nursing woman needs to exclude from her diet foods that cause gas (kvass, legumes, cabbage in any form, apples, grapes, sweets, baked goods) and take a decoction of chamomile with dill and fennel seeds.
How to help a child with colic?
Many parents worry about how to take care of their baby during colic and alleviate his condition. There are some simple but very effective techniques that effectively relieve pain when colic occurs and speed up the release of gas. Simple tips on massaging the abdominal wall and correct positioning of the baby will help you quickly cope with colic:
- Stroking the tummy, gently moving clockwise.
- Place a warm palm on the baby's stomach and lightly rock the baby in your other hand.
- Attach the baby to the breast when colic appears, rocking slightly. This will help relieve colic, relax the baby and calm him down.
- Place a warm diaper on the tummy, pre-heated on a radiator or ironed.
- Do simple but effective gymnastics-massage of the abdominal wall, pressing your knees towards the baby’s tummy. It is effective to press your right knee towards your left elbow and vice versa. This will help relax the muscles and provoke the rapid release of gases.
- Do the Airplane exercise. The baby should be placed on his tummy and slowly rocked in different directions. This should be done very smoothly and carefully. This exercise will not only help calm the baby and relieve colic, but also greatly amuse the child when he begins to be capricious.
- Tiger pose on a branch will help relieve colic and calm the baby. A great massage position for dads with strong arms. It is worth bending your arm at the elbow and laying the child down - belly down. The baby's head should be in the palm of your hand. By gently shaking your hand, you can calm your baby and overcome colic.
- A warm bath with herbal decoctions will help to effectively remove colic and alleviate the condition of the baby. This method is especially relevant if the child loves to swim. You need to organize a bath with a warm decoction of chamomile or chamomile, which will perfectly calm you down and set you up for a healthy sleep.
- A gas tube is the last option and is only suitable for severe and painful colic. This method is the most effective, but the baby quickly gets used to the device and will no longer be able to do without it. In addition, such a device can harm the anal mucosa. If parents nevertheless decide to resort to this method, it is worth lubricating the tip of the device with baby cream or Vaseline and inserting it two centimeters, but no more. This method may cause deficiencies.
Price, where to buy
The price of children's Espumisan is about 600 rubles for 50 ml drops.
- Online pharmacies in RussiaRussia
ZdravCity
- Espumisan Baby drops for internal use.
approx. 100mg/ml vial. 50ml Berlin-Chemie AG RUR 625 order - Espumisan Baby drops for internal use. approx. 100mg/ml 30mlBerlin-Chemie AG
RUB 473 order
Preparations based on natural herbs
BabyCalm is good for colic.
Modern pharmaceutical preparations based on natural herbs are essentially nothing more than folk remedies that were well known to our great-grandmothers, just in a more convenient “packaging” with a precisely calculated dosage.
So, infusions containing fennel, cumin, chamomile and dill seeds are good for stomach colic. And on pharmacy counters such products can be found under the following names:
- BabyCalm;
- Bebinos;
- Plantex.
Note to young parents: pediatricians usually prescribe infants a number of drugs to relieve colic at the same time, offering to try each of the drugs in turn. However, it should be remembered that any drug intervention in the natural process of gradual formation of microflora in the baby’s intestines can subsequently negatively affect the child’s health.
Sometimes it makes sense to just wait until the child is three months old. As a rule, by this time colic in infants stops on its own.
About the correct prevention of colic
To prevent colic, you need to do gymnastics with your baby.
Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. This statement is also true in relation to infant colic.
It is known that the formation of microflora in a child’s intestines begins even before birth.
Therefore, in order for the baby not to suffer from gastrointestinal problems, his mother needs to eat properly throughout pregnancy.
