Oscillococcinum for children is one of the types of homeopathic products that is prescribed by doctors to quickly relieve the symptoms of a viral infection. Children, due to the need to constantly be in large groups (kindergartens, schools, sports clubs), are often at risk of viral exposure.
In order to avoid the development of the disease or reduce its severity, shorten its course, Oscillococcinum is used. How it works, what are the features of its use and effectiveness, we will discuss below.
Operating principle
The first symptoms of colds make every parent worry. This may include nasal congestion and frequent sneezing, increased body temperature, cough, pain in the head, throat, and general weakness. In order to quickly get rid of such negative symptoms, you need to immediately seek medical help.
A qualified specialist, after examining a small patient, will definitely prescribe symptomatic therapy, which can alleviate his condition. French pharmacists suggest treating colds using only one drug called Oscillococcinum.
The effect of this medication is to use the same substance that caused the disease, but only in negligible quantities.
The main active ingredient of Oscillococcinum is an extract from the liver of Barbary duck. It was accidentally discovered by a researcher who noticed an interesting pattern: these particular ducks did not suffer from bird flu, although they were carriers of the infection.
The extract obtained from the liver of this waterfowl is very small. The molecules of the initially taken substance are repeatedly diluted with water: the original substance is diluted over 200 procedures. For each procedure, the substance is diluted with liquid in a concentration of 1 to 100.
The resulting homeopathic granules differ in composition from the original composition. This component is an active substance that has a detrimental effect on pathogenic microorganisms.
Oscillococcinum is approved for use in children, it allows you to achieve the following goals:
- reduce the severity of symptoms of a viral disease, as well as influenza;
- speed up the onset of the recovery period;
- reduce the risk of complications.
Oscillococcinum is actively used for preventive and therapeutic use in European countries, the United States of America, and Russia. According to research data, the use of the drug allows you to get rid of catarrhal symptoms within two days, and also achieve complete recovery 3 times faster.
Timely initiation of drug therapy allows you to quickly get rid of the following symptoms:
- runny nose;
- sneezing;
- cough;
- sore throat;
- increased body temperature;
- headaches;
- general weakness.
Oscillococcinum, which belongs to the category of homeopathic remedies, allows you to maintain the internal environment of the body in an unchanged condition. This leads to improved immune activity, which allows you to quickly get rid of viral exposure and reduce toxic reactions in the body.
Despite the advertised effectiveness of this drug, there is no reliable information about the rate and degree of absorption of the active substance, its distribution throughout the body.
Oscillococcinum is produced by a company from France - Laboratory Boiron, its representatives explain the way the drug affects humans. “Homeopathy is about treating like with like. The barbary duck is a carrier of the influenza virus; its molecules are contained in the liver and heart of the bird. Homeopathy involves the use of minimal doses of the drug.”
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Some experts believe that due to repeated dilution, practically no active substance remains in the liquid that the patient receives. However, the manufacturer claims that the water present in the medicine has a memory function, which gives it medicinal qualities.
When should you use Oscillococcinum?
The use of the drug is indicated for the initial symptoms of colds:
- sore and itchy throat;
- nasal congestion;
- pain when swallowing;
- cough;
- chills;
- muscle aches;
- sneezing;
- headache;
- increase in body temperature to subfebrile values.
By mobilizing the body's strength, the drug helps to improve well-being, relieve fever, shorten the acute period of the disease, and accelerate recovery. During seasonal epidemics, drug prophylaxis is recommended to reduce the risk of infection.
Tablets or syrup
Patients often wonder which type of medicine to prefer, tablets or syrup? As for Oscillococcinum, this medication is available only in granular form.
The company from France that produces the drug is called Boiron. It produces medicine in the form of granules; they dissolve quickly as soon as they come into contact with liquid (this can be water or saliva). The granules are white in color, spherical in shape, have no distinct odor, and have a sweetish taste.
The drug is immediately divided into doses, packaged in plastic tubes, each weighing 1 gram. The tubes are closed with a polyethylene stopper. Each 3 tubes are combined with a blister, the box can contain 2, 2, 10 similar blisters, it will hold from 6 to 30 doses.
Despite the apparent harmlessness of the drug, Oscillococcinum should be given to children only after consultation with a doctor.
Directions for use: special instructions
At what age can children be given this medication? This question is always relevant. Pediatricians do not prohibit giving the drug to newborn babies, children under one year old and older children. The medication is considered safe for use in patients of any age.
Features of the drug:
- You need to take the medicine a quarter of an hour before meals or an hour after meals;
- the granules need to be absorbed so that they dissolve on their own under the influence of saliva;
- Children under two years of age cannot dissolve the granules on their own, so they are allowed to pre-dissolve the granules in warm water and give the resulting solution to drink from a teaspoon or bottle;
- from the age of three, the child can easily absorb the granules, or receive them in dissolved form from a spoon;
- adult patients take the drug by placing granules under the tongue.
Resorption of granules under the tongue provides a high therapeutic effect due to the fact that a network of blood vessels passes through there, due to which the active substance instantly penetrates into the bloodstream, having a pronounced effect on colds and flu.
Before starting therapy with this medication, it is very important to read the instructions that come with it. From the annotation to the medicine you can clarify the indications and contraindications for its use.
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Special conditions:
- the use of the drug throughout the day, which did not produce any results, but, on the contrary, led to an increase in negative symptoms, requires mandatory seeking medical help;
- early initiation of therapy allows you to obtain a high effect and quickly get rid of negative viral symptoms;
- the use of this medication does not have any effect on the speed of human reactions, therefore it allows you to simultaneously drive vehicles and work with complex mechanisms.
Granules can be purchased at pharmacies without providing a doctor's prescription. However, before starting such therapy, it is mandatory to consult a doctor.
How is this drug used?
Oscillococcinum for children and adults is used as a prophylactic agent to prevent the spread of influenza and acute respiratory viral infections. It must be taken in accordance with the instructions.
The advantage of this drug is that it is easy to take, and it comes in economical packaging; it can be used for prophylaxis for 6 weeks.
It is especially important not to miss the onset of the development of a cold; to do this, you need to carefully monitor the state of your health, as well as that of your child and relatives. Symptoms of the onset of the development of colds will be the appearance of fever and chills, the body begins to break down, and the head hurts. All these signs should urgently motivate the use of the recommended dose of this drug.
If after taking one dose of the drug the described symptoms do not disappear, you must take the indicated remedy again, with the dosage being 2-3 capsules per day, but at least 6 hours must pass between doses.
In cases where a child or adult is already sick, Oscillococcinum should be given 2 times a day, it is better to do this in the morning and evening for 1-3 days, 1 capsule should be drunk at a time.
The instructions for the drug Oscillococcinum stipulate that it can be given to children aged one year and older, but be sure to consult a pediatrician. Please note that the frequency of taking this drug does not depend on the age of the child, but on the stage of the disease.
After consultation with your doctor, this drug can be taken even by pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding. This is another advantage of Oscillococcinum, since not every analogue can be given to pregnant women and children from a very early age.
Indications
Oscillococcinum is used to prevent the development of viral infections, as well as shorten the duration of the disease and reduce the likelihood of developing unpleasant cold complications.
If symptoms of acute respiratory viral infection and flu occur, you must take this medicine. This may be the following symptoms:
- cough;
- nasal discharge and congestion;
- increase in temperature indicators;
- pain in the throat, head;
- weakness;
- sneezing.
Contraindications
The use of any drug is not permitted for every person without exception. Some pathological conditions and chronic diseases do not allow the use of this drug.
Contraindications to the use of Oscillococcinum:
- personal sensitivity to the active component of the drug or the excipients contained in its composition;
- lactose intolerance (acquired, congenital);
- deficiency of a special enzyme (lactase), which does not allow reactions to break down lactose;
- disruption of the absorption and digestion of carbohydrates.
Before starting treatment, you should make sure that the patient does not have any of the above contraindications.
Flu prevention: how to protect your child from viruses?
In order to avoid mutual infection within the family, all its members are recommended to carry out both specific (vaccination) and nonspecific prevention of influenza and ARVI.
- Vaccination. Once a year, in the fall, the whole family is recommended to get a flu vaccine. When choosing a vaccine, doctors will take into account the age of those vaccinated and contraindications for use. Special techniques are used to vaccinate people with allergic reactions or chronic diseases. The effectiveness of vaccination in children is 70-100%.
- Prevention with medications. Vaccination does not solve the problem of preventing the entire variety of respiratory viral infections. It can also be supplemented with means of nonspecific prevention - take medications for colds and flu according to the preventive regimen. The main requirement for such drugs is good tolerability and a minimum number of contraindications. To prevent ARVI and influenza, the drug Oscillococcinum is used. For preventive purposes, it should be taken 1 dose of granules once a week. For children, the contents of the dose should be dissolved in a small amount of water and given from a spoon or using a bottle with a nipple. To prevent flu in children, one package of 6 doses is enough for 1.5 months!
- Vitamin prevention of influenza in both children and adults increases the body's resistance to infection by respiratory viruses. Children and adults are recommended to take courses of multivitamins at least 2 times a year (for example, in spring and autumn). When purchasing vitamin-mineral complexes, make sure that they do not cause allergic reactions and are recommended by the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.
Compliance with the rules of hygiene and an active, rationally organized lifestyle helps to resist the adverse effects of the environment, including viruses, namely:
- Maintaining hygiene of the skin and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract (gargling, rinsing the nose, frequent hand washing with soap and regular water procedures)
- Maintaining home hygiene (regular ventilation, maintaining temperature within 20-24C and humidity 30-35%)
- A complete balanced diet, including enough vegetables and fruits, as well as foods enriched with bifidobacteria
- Systematic physical activity outdoors or in a ventilated area
- Optimal work and rest regime
How can an overdose occur?
An overdose can develop if a person accidentally or intentionally takes more of the drug than is allowed by the instructions.
Do not leave the drug where children can have access to it.
Despite the fact that Oscillococcinum is tolerated quite well, during its use, a person may develop negative manifestations in the form of allergic reactions. Exceeding the recommended dose will only increase the severity of such reactions.
How much and how to give
You can give Oscillococcinum to children without waiting until the child is 3 years old (which is typical for most antiviral medications). The instructions allow the use of the product in children who have not yet turned one year old.
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The calculation of the dosage regimen is based on the personal characteristics of the patient, the characteristics of the course of the infectious disease, it is preferable if the doctor selects it.
Features of dosing of the drug:
- to prevent the development of ARVI, the drug is used in one dose once a week;
- at the initial stage of infection, the drug is taken up to three times a day in one dose;
- an interval of six hours is required between each dose;
- the expressed stage of the disease requires three days of use of granules, when one dose is taken twice a day;
- preventive or therapeutic doses of the drug require resorption of the drug under the tongue, an hour after a meal or an hour before it;
- For infants, it is allowed to pre-dissolve the granules with mother's milk or clean drinking water.
Children's Oscillococcinum can be used if the child has signs of developing a viral cold. If the patient’s condition does not improve within 24 hours, it is imperative to consult a doctor.
The course of therapy can last for a minimum of three and a maximum of seven days. Specific dates are set by the doctor, based on the severity of the infectious disease and the patient’s health condition.
Can Oscillococcinum be taken by pregnant and lactating women?
The first trimester imposes a lot of restrictions. During this period, it is undesirable to use most medications, including homeopathic ones. Oscillococcinum is prescribed in exceptional cases, since respiratory infections can pose no less a risk to the health of the embryo and the expectant mother.
In the second and third trimesters, the use of the drug is approved by most doctors as the safest and does not have a teratogenic effect. But it is rational to use it as prescribed by a doctor. Sometimes homeopathy alone is not enough for recovery.
During lactation, Oscillococcinum is not contraindicated. It is necessary to refuse it only in case of individual hypersensitivity to its components in a child or woman.
Analogs
Pharmacy chains offer customers many different analogues of Oscillococcinum. They may vary based on the duration of the therapeutic course, the presence of active substances in the composition, and the forms of release of the drug.
There are no exact copies of this homeopathic remedy. However, you can choose another antiviral drug that is no less effective.
The most common antiviral drugs for children:
- Kagocel is a synthetic drug that has an immunostimulating effect on the body, effectively helping in the fight against viruses;
- Arbidol is a medicine used to treat colds;
- Antigrippin is a combination drug that reduces the severity of inflammatory reactions and reduces the negative symptoms of a cold;
- Aflubin is a homeopathic medicine that reduces the likelihood of contracting a viral infection;
- Ergoferon is an immunomodulator that promotes increased production of interferons necessary to combat viral activity;
- Ingavirin is an antiviral drug used after the child reaches the age of seven;
- Viferon is a medicine containing recombinant human interferon. Available in different dosage forms.
Each medication has its own advantages and disadvantages, as well as contraindications that do not allow the use of a specific drug in the presence of various chronic diseases. It is very important that the prescription of such medications is carried out by a specialist with sufficient qualifications who is able to take into account not only the effectiveness of the drug, but also its effect on the human body.
