Diarrhea and general stomach upset are one of the health problems that are unlikely to surprise modern people. Poor nutrition, neglect of hygiene and other factors often provoke disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract.
Children who lead an active and unconscious lifestyle are especially susceptible to such pathologies. To eliminate diarrhea and stomach disorders in their children, parents often use a drug called Smecta. The method of using this product for children, the principles of its action and other important features will be discussed today.
Indications for use
Smecta has the same indications for children and adults. The drug can be given to babies from the age of one month.
The drug is taken for intestinal disorders, in particular diarrhea, caused by poor quality food or poor diet, as well as infectious diseases. In the latter case, Smecta is taken as part of a complex treatment.
The drug is effective for heartburn, discomfort and pain in the abdomen, bloating and other signs of dyspepsia, which indicate various diseases of the digestive system.
If a symptom of irritable bowel is detected, then the medicine will not be able to reduce diarrhea, but will significantly alleviate the condition by removing gases.
Indications
Smecta is used in cases where the body seeks to overcome the consequences of a toxic influence on it. This can happen under various circumstances, but our body already has a prepared program for removing toxic substances or eliminating the clinical picture. If they were caused by the following pathologies and conditions of the body, then the doctor has the right to prescribe an appropriate course of treatment. The drug is used in the presence of the following types of diarrhea:
- allergic reactions,
- medicinal origin,
- result of non-compliance with dietary intake,
- eating low quality and unusual food,
- intestinal infections.
In addition, Smecta is prescribed for:
- food intoxication,
- intestinal colic,
- eliminating the clinical picture of heartburn, gas incontinence, abdominal pain and other signs of dyspepsia.
The manufacturer states that, although the medicine helps in many cases where the patient suffers from diarrhea, there are a huge number of conditions when you should consult a doctor before prescribing therapeutic actions on your own. In this case, only a doctor will provide assistance:
- the presence of loose stools and high fever, chills, incessant vomiting,
- stool is accompanied by bloody discharge and exhaustion of the body,
- the patient is at risk: damage to the heart valves, therapy that disrupts the protective function of the immune system,
- elderly people,
- even after 2 days of taking the drug, your health remains at a poor level,
- increased thirst, fatigue and severe dehydration,
- diarrhea may reappear after short periods of time or may systematically replace constipation.
Reception by children
Smecta can be given to children from infancy. Often, babies have problems with the digestive system in the first days of life.
The instructions say that you can give the medicine from 4 weeks. The remedy can be given for malnutrition, which leads to abdominal pain and bloating, vomiting and diarrhea. Also effective for jaundice.
The optimal dose is determined only by a doctor. You need to dilute the powder in warm milk or water (50 ml), stirring until you get a homogeneous consistency. The specified volume must be divided into several doses.
For diarrhea
If a baby has diarrhea at the age of 1-12 months, then in the first 72 hours you need to give 2 sachets, after which you can give 1 sachet per day. Children from 1 year old can be given 4 sachets in the first 3 days, and after that - 2 sachets per day.
When vomiting
For vomiting in children under 1 year of age, give 1 sachet per day. A child over one year old can be given 3 sachets per day. If constipation occurs, the dose should be reduced.
For acute diarrhea
Let's take a closer look at the instructions for using smecta in bags :
- Children under one year: two sachets per day for three days. After another couple of days, one sachet.
- Children from one year to twelve years: 4 packs per day for 3 days. After a couple more days, 2 sachets per day.
- Teenagers over twelve years of age and adults: 6 packs per day for three days. After a couple more days, 3 sachets every 24 hours.
The duration of the treatment session varies from three days to one week. This depends on the disease itself, on the progress made in eliminating the disease, on the characteristics of the human body who is taking Smecta. Thus, those who have hard stools should take the drug with extreme caution and only until the clinical picture is eliminated. If after 7 days the clinical picture remains unchanged, pain in the abdominal cavity appears from time to time, and temperature increases, then taking Smecta is suspended. In this situation, you need to consult a doctor.
In the presence of acute diarrhea, it is also necessary to carry out rehydration treatment aimed at restoring the balance of fluid and salt in the body. In a pharmacy you can purchase one of the products that was specially developed for these purposes: Regidron, Trisol, Disol, Hydrovit, Reosolan, Citraglucosolan, etc. The fluid balance in the body is calculated in accordance with the clinical picture, the age category of the patient and the severity of diarrhea. The average is 0.5 liters of fluid for each episode of diarrhea. You need to consume liquid in small sips so as not to cause vomiting.
Smecta during pregnancy
The drug is approved for use by pregnant women. There is no need to change the dose or diet. The components do not pose any threat to the developing fetus.
Most often, pregnant women take Smecta to combat heartburn, normalize the functioning of the digestive system, and prevent toxicosis.
If your doctor has not given any additional instructions, you can take 1 sachet 3 times a day.
The medicine can also be taken while breastfeeding; there is no need to adjust the dose or diet.
Application
Smecta for heartburn is used similarly to other medications - in periodic courses during the excesses of gastrointestinal disorders. Use is allowed after meals in an amount not exceeding 9 grams of powder per day. It is diluted with ordinary drinking water. 75 milliliters is enough to dissolve.
Intestinal disorder is treated for one or three days. The presence of bacteria extends the course to 7 days. Severe poisoning with high fever can be treated for a week. The first two days use a double portion - six sachets per day, and until the seventh day inclusive - the usual portion of three sachets.
For small children, the dose is calculated differently:
- If the age is less than a year, use only one sachet per day. It needs to be diluted in 50 milliliters of clean water and divided into a number of doses. It is useful to add the resulting mixture to cereals and mixtures.
- If less than 2 years, then 2 sachets are acceptable.
- If the child is over 2 years old - no more than 2 sachets.
A special feature of the drug is that it improves the effectiveness of other drugs when used together. They can have a negative effect if taken at the same time. Absorption will be impaired, and a positive result will not be guaranteed due to dilution of smectin with foreign active substances. The drug is effective if other medications are taken separately from Smecta.
Admission conditions
Heartburn and stomach discomfort are not always cured immediately. The product is acceptable for use if it occurs in the following cases:
- Severe diarrhea. Poor nutrition, violation of the established diet and the influence of harmful bacteria contribute to the occurrence of diarrhea.
- Breastfeeding time.
- Gastritis. The occurrence of symptoms of the disease is prevented by Smecta due to the property of flowing around the inflamed gastric mucosa.
- Impaired intestinal motility.
- Chest spasms, accompanied by pain and a number of ulcer symptoms.
- Bacterial attack and acidity disturbances, which are overcome by the formation of a thin layer of drug distributed throughout the stomach.
Understanding a number of features will help you achieve effective results in the shortest possible time:
- It is recommended to take it in conjunction with other medications that treat the disease, not the symptoms. Smecta alleviates the condition of a person experiencing heartburn, but does not treat the root of the problem.
- The adsorbent property interferes with the absorption of components of other drugs. The use of other medications and the adsorbing solution must be separated. The sorbent tends to absorb harmful impurities in the stomach and beneficial ones that are contained in other medications. It is enough to wait a couple of hours after taking the suspension.
- Small children should not use Smecta without special therapy to prevent dehydration. Treatment is carried out throughout the entire course.
- For a mature person, Smecta can be used without such therapy. A serious condition due to lack of water can be overcome in a hospital. The solution is administered intravenously. If the condition is normal, rehydration agents are administered orally.
- When undergoing a course of treatment, doctors recommend adhering to a protein diet along with the consumption of cereals. Products with fiber are unacceptable. Vegetables and fruits are excluded, and chicken breast or turkey must be consumed along with rice or buckwheat.
Features of use during heartburn during pregnancy
Pregnant women sometimes experience heartburn. Physiological changes within the body contribute to compression of the gastrointestinal tract and the release of an abundance of acid, irritating the stomach and esophagus.
Hormonal changes have their influence. The changes reduce the motor activity of internal organs and lead to disorders that cause heartburn. Women note that the closer to the trimester, the more frequent and painful the unpleasant symptom may appear.
A popular solution is to use Smecta. The instructions do not prevent women from using it due to the naturalness of the components and beneficial effects on the body. When taking the medication, toxins and harmful bacteria that contribute to heartburn and a number of other unpleasant symptoms are eliminated.
The drug is not absorbed into the blood, does not affect the fetus and contains natural ingredients, so a single dose of the medicine is acceptable even for pregnant women. Its naturalness and digestibility make it possible to take Smecta, but it does not cure diseases that cause gastrointestinal disorders and heartburn.
Poor quality food or an inflamed esophagus are reasons for which a remedy may be prescribed. It will reduce the discomfort of heartburn. Pregnancy does not allow the use of the medication periodically. Only one-time use is possible.
Before taking, carefully study the instructions.
The dosage is formed and observed strictly according to the doctor’s prescription. If a person is allergic to certain components or an active substance, they refuse the course of treatment and look for another solution to the problem.
Instructions for use
For acute diarrhea in an adult, you need to drink no more than 6 sachets of powder per day. After you feel better, you can reduce the dose by half.
For other indications, the daily dose is 3 sachets.
Before taking, you need to dilute the solution in 100 ml of water to form a suspension. In case of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, you need to take the medicine after meals, in other cases 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after.
For diarrhea, the effect will be noticeable after 6-10 hours, for esophagitis - after 30-40 minutes, for poisoning - after 2-3 hours.
To consolidate the result, you need to continue taking the drug for 3-4 days.
Application in veterinary medicine
If your cat has diarrhea, you can give up to 5 ml 3 times a day. To prepare the suspension, mix half a sachet in 25 ml of water at room temperature. It is allowed to give 2 ml per 1 dose. The medicine must be drawn up with a syringe and gently squeezed into a place where there are no teeth.
If your dog has diarrhea, dissolve the powder in 10 ml of warm water. You can give 1 sachet three times a day.
If diarrhea does not stop, then the frequency of administration can be increased to 6 times a day.
When treating with Smecta, you need to introduce a diet. On the first day, it is better not to feed the animal at all.
A few words about the drug and its action
Smecta is an antidiarrheal agent
Smecta is a new generation antidiarrheal drug. The product has a gentle effect on the internal microflora of the gastrointestinal tract and stabilizes its functioning at the time of illness.
As practice shows, Smecta copes well with all disorders in the functioning of the stomach. The drug is especially effective for diarrhea and vomiting due to its pronounced adsorbing effect.
Smecta contains hypoallergenic substances of natural origin that are well tolerated by the body of any person. One sachet of drug powder contains:
- three grams of active substances represented by dioctahedral smectite, double silicate of magnesium and aluminum;
- a small amount of excipients, including flavorings and aromas.
Due to its excellent tolerability by humans, Smecta is used to treat patients of all ages. Diarrhea in an adult, a schoolchild and even a baby can be cured with this drug in the shortest possible time. Such flexibility in terms of administration is most valued among drugs in modern medicine and pharmacology.
The cost of Smecta is determined depending on how many bags of medicinal powder are presented in the container. Packages with 10 sachets cost about 150 rubles, and with 30 - about 300-350. Neosmectin and Diosmectin, which are very similar to it both in composition and in the principle of their effect on the body, are considered cheaper analogues of the drug.
Contraindications
Smecta has a minimal number of contraindications. The drug should not be used for:
- intestinal obstruction;
- severe sensitivity to constituent components;
- fructose intolerance:
- problems with the absorption of galactose and glucose.
You should avoid taking the medicine if you have osmotic diarrhea. It should be taken with caution in case of severe chronic constipation.
Action of the drug
Smecta is a sorbent that uses smectin to adsorb the stomach cavity. The active substance quickly creates a protective layer and relieves a person from discomfort. The immediate result is achieved by the sweetener - dextrose, which is included in the composition. It is instantly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.
The drug is prescribed in small quantities even to children. The components of the product are of plant origin and do not have a negative effect, therefore Smecta is a safe medicine for health. The main criterion is moderation and strict adherence to the therapist’s advice.
When taking the medication, the functioning of the sphincter is not stable and acidity may be impaired. The right decision is to use the drug together with others. Relief from symptoms will occur thanks to the coordinated work of several substances.
Adverse reactions and contraindications
The use of Smecta is unacceptable in the following cases:
- Constipation. The symptom of deterioration of intestinal obstruction is worsened by the action of the medication. Be careful!
- Frequent vomiting.
- Intolerance to the active substance.
- Diarrhea or bloody stool.
- High temperature.
The list of contraindications is limited to a small list, and side effects are rare and appear in the form of a common rash. Naturalness ensures safety and guarantees a positive result if you follow the doctor’s prescription and do not violate the dosage.
Not a single case of overdose has been reported, but it is not worth provoking new unpleasant symptoms. It is necessary to strictly adhere to the prescribed doctor's prescription so as not to generate statistics.
Similar drugs
Neosmectin and diosmectite have a similar effect. The products have a common active substance that allows them to act on a number of unpleasant manifestations of the gastrointestinal tract. Medicines of this type are not used to treat the disease. Treatment is for symptoms and does not affect gastrointestinal disorders.
Symptoms are the only target that such drugs successfully combat. If a person has symptoms of diarrhea, heartburn, or a swollen stomach, the drug will become indispensable for first aid. If the excess of painful symptoms recurs, consult a doctor to find out the cause of the symptom - a disease that provokes unpleasant consequences.
Smecta is taken as a secondary remedy that helps other medications treat the disease. Getting rid of an acid-soaked food bolus is achievable, but it is not enough to completely get rid of the problem. If the mucous membrane is damaged, the medicine will have a beneficial effect on recovery, but the aggressive substance will not change in quantity.
