Dosage of smecta for children 2 years old. Smecta for children: when and how to give the drug to a child

Indications for treatment

Smecta acts as a sorbent, binding toxins, microbes and viruses. The drug is not absorbed through the intestinal mucosa and has no effect on the child’s body. The apparent safety of the medicine leads to the fact that some parents give their baby Smecta “for prevention.” But this is not advisable.

Let's see when it is necessary to give Smecta to children aged 2 years:

intoxication caused by poisoning or severe infection;
flatulence;
intestinal colic;
diarrhea of any etiology;
dysbacteriosis;
abdominal pain due to diseases of the digestive tract;
vomit;
food allergy.

Indications such as heartburn and unpleasant belching are also possible. But it is worth remembering that abuse of Smecta often leads to the child developing constipation. You should not give medicine to children often.

Indications for use of "Smecta"

The main indications for taking the medicine are intestinal disorders of various etiologies, poisoning and dysbacteriosis. The medicine must be taken in the form of a suspension. You can prepare Smecta for administration with cold or hot water. The solution must be drunk at one time. The effect of the drug occurs half an hour after administration. For the medicine to work, it is important to dissolve it correctly. The amount of water must correspond to the instructions, since water is an auxiliary substance that helps Smecta particles absorb toxins and remove them from the body. "Smecta" is indicated for use by children under one year of age and adults.

"Smecta" is prescribed for dysbiosis

You can take the medicine to treat:

food intoxication;
acute and chronic diarrhea;
dysbacteriosis;
intestinal disorders;
food poisoning;
gastrointestinal diseases caused by infections.

Read

About colon cleansing with oatmeal

The medicine is considered the most effective enterosorbent that exists, since it not only binds and removes toxins, but also replenishes the density of intestinal mucus, normalizes the functioning of the digestive system and relieves pain. In infants and children under 3 years of age, the gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully formed, so they are susceptible to diarrhea and digestive disorders. With prolonged diarrhea, beneficial substances are washed out of the child’s body, and weight loss is observed. “Smecta” is able to restore the water-salt balance and replenish losses due to the content of dioctahedral smectite 3g. For children under 3 years of age, the drug is prescribed in combination with antibiotics to avoid dysbacteriosis.

Dose and dilution rules

The dosage for a 2 year old child of Smecta is 1-2 sachets/day.

In this case, the following rules are observed:

the powder is diluted in 100 ml of water;
the resulting portion is divided into 2-3 doses;
Give the child a ready-made suspension between meals.

Unused solution should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a day.

In the first 3 days, the child is given 2 sachets, then the dose is reduced to 1 sachet per day . The course of treatment should not exceed 7 days. If during this time the baby’s well-being does not improve while taking Smecta, you should consult a doctor about prescribing another medicine.

Smecta powder does not have an unpleasant taste and has a pleasant smell of vanilla or orange. If the baby is capricious, refusing to drink the water solution, then the contents of the bag can be diluted with juice, compote, tea or another child’s drink.

The method of preparing the solution and the conditions necessary for storing the finished medicine

Since the main form of the drug is powder, it does not require much effort to prepare a solution that the patient takes orally. It is enough to pour the contents of the sachet into a clean bowl, add about 100 ml of warm water, and stir until the consistency becomes as homogeneous as possible, which will facilitate comfortable use.

The dosage of Smecta depends on age, and is reflected in the amount of medicine that needs to be taken during the day. Starting from two years of age, up to three standard sachets of the drug may be required within 24 hours. Both adults and children can easily drink all its contents at once, so there is no need to think about how to store diluted Smecta.

Are there any contraindications

Reading the instructions for use, parents are interested in how to dilute Smecta for a 2-year-old child and pay almost no attention to contraindications. The main prohibition on using the medicine is intolerance to the components of the powder.

The composition of the medicine includes:

dioctahedral smectite;
glucose;
sodium-based saccharin;
vanilla or orange flavoring.

In addition to drug intolerance, Smecta should not be given to a two-year-old child in the following cases:

fructose intolerance;
tendency to chronic constipation;
intestinal obstruction.

A tendency to constipation is not an absolute contraindication for a child. The drug can be taken, but the dosage for a 2-year-old child of Smecta should be less than that indicated in the instructions. It is recommended to consult your pediatrician about the dose.

Some advice for parents

Despite the fact that Smecta is a popular drug and mothers and grandmothers have already studied all the features of its use, you should listen to the following advice from doctors:

It is better not to dilute the medicine in advance; it is better to take it more times. If the baby is prescribed a dose of 2 packets, then it is permissible to take half a packet four times a day;
Don't save money. Smecta is relatively inexpensive, so there is no need to use old expired powder. This will not help with illness or poisoning, but can cause vomiting, nausea and dyspeptic symptoms;
Do not exceed the dose. Despite the fact that Smecta is not toxic and is not absorbed through the mucous membranes, taking a large amount of the drug provokes constipation.

A two-year-old child needs 1-2 sachets of Smecta for treatment and needs to drink the medicine 2-3 times a day. Compliance with the treatment rules will help quickly eliminate signs of intoxication or gastrointestinal disorders in the child.

"Smecta": instructions for use in case of poisoning, how to dilute, contraindications

In fact, silicates for Smecta have long been no longer extracted from nature, but are synthesized artificially, like more than 2/3 of the mineral compounds used by humans in various spheres of life and production.

But in the case of drugs, this is more good than bad, since a chemically pure compound can only be obtained in laboratory conditions.

And people obviously do not need impurities with an unpredictable composition and effect in their bodies.

Effect on the body

Dioctahedral smectite itself (a longer and more complex name for the same substance) is an enterosorbent.

That is, “Smecta” is capable of selectively binding and removing various microorganisms from the cavity of the digestive organs.

It cannot be said that “Smecta” acts so selectively, but the lion’s share of what it gets rid of are indeed harmful components of the local “fauna” or food.

In addition, “Smecta” helps the mucus on the inner surface of the stomach and intestines to more tightly envelop their walls. As a result, the medicine prevents their contact with acid/alkali (the normal digestive environment, which becomes dangerous only when there is insufficient mucus secretion by the mucous membrane), as well as:

toxic components - found in food or released by pathogens as waste products;
bile acids - inevitable components of intestinal digestion, which under certain circumstances (pathologies of the liver and gallbladder) can even end up in the stomach;
foreign compounds - in case of accidental ingestion of inedible inclusions (dust, stone chips, bark, soil, toy parts, which often happens to children).

“Smecta” is considered completely safe even for newborns, since its active ingredient (diosmectite) is not broken down by the digestive system and, therefore, is not absorbed by the body. In addition to diosmectite, "Smecta", depending on the formulation approved by the manufacturer and the age group for which the drug is aimed, may contain glucose, its substitutes (saccharin, sorbitol, etc.), flavorings (for example, vanilla, orange, etc.).

Release forms and analogues

“Smecta” is produced in the form of a powder for dilution with water, packaged in sachets weighing 3 g each. Smecta is not available in the form of a ready-made suspension. Analogues of the drug are:

“Neosmectin” is essentially another trade name for “Smecta”;
Activated carbon - both traditional black and “white”, which is the same silicon dioxide plus auxiliary components;
“Enerosgel” is a Ukrainian-made drug with methyl silicic acid as a base;
“Enterodez” is a Russian powder product for preparing suspensions, the active ingredient of which is povidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone, a synthetic indigestible polymer);
“Polysorb” is a powder analogue of “White Coal”, since it also contains silicon dioxide.

A number of Smecta substitutes, despite their lower cost, have their own advantages. For example, Enterodes (povidone), with the same good astringent properties, does not contain aluminum salts (they are harmful to bones and there are suspicions of their toxicity to the fetus during pregnancy). At the same time, unlike Smecta, it stimulates kidney function, which can be dangerous in case of nephritis, hypotension, and dehydration.

Instructions for use of "Smecta"

The range of indications for the use of Smecta is quite wide. Its main action is directed against diarrhea, but the drug in the form of a suspension is also prescribed:

with nausea and vomiting;
from heartburn;
with rotavirus (intestinal flu);
bacterial intestinal infections;
with bloating;
from colic, especially in children;
for gastritis and stomach/intestinal ulcers;
for hangover syndrome (alcohol poisoning).

According to the manufacturer, pregnancy and breastfeeding do not create restrictions on taking Smecta, since it is not digested and is not absorbed into the blood (and therefore into breast milk).

When given to newborns

"Smecta" is often prescribed for jaundice in newborns - the active breakdown of fetal hemoglobin as it is replaced by "adult" red blood cells suitable for pulmonary respiration.

Red blood cells break down, releasing large amounts of bilirubin, a yellow-brown organic dye in stool and bile, into the bloodstream. While it is in the blood, the tissues and mucous membranes of the body acquire a characteristic yellowish tint.

The liver is responsible for processing bilirubin into bile and removing its excess with solid waste from the intestines. But in newborns, its enzyme systems are not yet developed. That is why, within a few days after birth, the baby’s skin turns yellow.

In the case of jaundice in newborns and infants, Smecta binds excess bilirubin.

However, it must be remembered that while the use of Smecta for diarrhea is beyond doubt, jaundice in children is not only physiological and in some cases can threaten the life of a newborn.

Therefore, self-prescription of Smecta in this case is prohibited - first you need to establish the roots of the problem, which only a doctor can do.

Restrictions on use and side effects

In general, doctors’ reviews of the use of Smecta confirm the versatility and safety declared by the manufacturer, but with the exception of the following cases.

Retention of stool. There is only one strict contraindication to taking Smecta in any dose - acute constipation, especially if it is caused by intestinal blockage (helminths, tumor, as a result of intestinal volvulus).
Suspicious symptoms. The drug is also not recommended for use for more than a week if digestive upset is combined with vomiting that does not depend on meals, fever, or defecation of almost unchanged food.
Zero efficiency. The course of treatment with Smecta should all the more be stopped if within a week the symptoms for which it was taken did not disappear, intensified, or new ones were added to them. In this case, contacting a gastroenterologist becomes mandatory.
Individual intolerance. “Smecta” is also contraindicated if you are allergic to any components of the drug, including both diosmectite and excipients (especially flavorings).

Among the side effects from taking Smecta, the instructions for its use indicate only the possibility of constipation (which is why it cannot be taken if there is already an observed absence of stool). Plus, the drug significantly reduces the absorption of any medications taken at the same time. And although we are not talking about a side effect, but about the inevitable aspects of its action, taking Smecta with other drugs must be separated by at least an hour of time.

Danger of aluminum salts

The presence of aluminum silicate in Smecta makes it possible to associate its potential harm with its accumulation in the body, especially with frequent or long-term use.

The problem is that various aluminum salts are included in a large number of personal care products, and the lion's share of antacids - remedies for heartburn.

They form the basis of antiperspirants and are found in women's mascara, toothpaste, face and body creams, etc.

We are not always talking about silicates, but always about aluminum derivatives. In small quantities they are neutral in relation to our body and are even necessary for normal functioning.

But given such a number of their sources, including uncontrolled use of Smecta, excess in their body is becoming more common.

Currently, the relationship between an overdose of aluminum in drugs used and:

breast cancer;
Alzheimer's disease;
disorders of the central nervous system, especially peripheral parts;
decreased absorption of vitamins, minerals and trace elements;
slowdown in the development and renewal of bone tissue;
degradation of the white and gray matter of the brain.

In addition, aluminum freely penetrates placental protective barriers and into breast milk, leading to fetal development defects. Some of these deviations are incompatible with life.

That is why, at present, neither antiperspirants nor aluminum-based antacids are recommended for expectant mothers.

And all products containing it sold in the EU countries must be provided with appropriate warnings on the packaging.

Similar laws have not yet been adopted in the Russian Federation and Eastern European countries. But in any case, the proven harm of aluminum is already enough to talk about the possible danger of Smecta not only for the mother, but also for the child.

That is, it is time to cancel its prescription during pregnancy, lactation and under the age of 10 years.

And since Smecta is initially a symptomatic remedy, it is even more unacceptable to use it to prevent heartburn or intestinal disorders.

General treatment regimens for adults and children

As for how quickly Smecta acts in case of certain disorders of the digestive tract, you don’t have to worry about this - quickly enough, within the next three to fifteen minutes (depending on in which department the process is localized) . Adults are usually prescribed one sachet of Smecta, three times a day, in the intervals between meals, diluted with half a glass of warm water. The dosage of "Smecta" in case of poisoning, especially acute, can be increased by a maximum of two times - up to six sachets per day.

When answering the question of how to give Smecta to a child, let us remind you of the possible harm of the drug. But with the exception of this point, different dosages are indicated for different age groups of children.

Children under one year old. They are recommended to take no more than one sachet per day in three or more doses with food.
Children from one to two years old. They can be prescribed two sachets (6 g) of Smecta, in three to four doses a day, along with food or complementary foods.
Children over two years old. They can be given two sachets of Smecta per day or increase the dose to three, depending on the severity of symptoms.

Children always take medications reluctantly, despite the vanilla-strawberry taste and the presence of glucose. Therefore, the topic of how to breed Smecta in bags usually haunts parents.

The optimal solution here would be not to dissolve liquid Smecta in water, but to choose dishes with a consistency that allows the admixture of Smecta powder to be well masked.

For example, add the product to expressed breast milk, artificial formula, fruit purees and cereals, baby food, any semi-liquid/liquid complementary foods or drinks especially loved by the baby.