Whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria are severe infectious diseases that often infect children. The last two pathologies can lead to disability and death. For protection purposes, specific immunity is formed from infancy through vaccination. For this purpose, the domestic drug DPT is used.
Many parents complain that their children show signs of allergies due to vaccinations. To prevent this type of side effect, many doctors prescribe an antihistamine before and after immunoprophylaxis. For example, when Suprastin and DTP are combined, the post-vaccination period is much easier. But it is useful for fathers and mothers to know how to give this drug, in which cases its use is inappropriate and dangerous.
Should I give my child Suprastin before DTP vaccination?
To understand whether it is necessary to give a child Suprastin before DTP, it is worth considering the composition of this vaccination, the reasons for the development of allergic reactions after the injection and the opinions of doctors.
DPT contains diphtheria toxoids, tetanus toxoids and whole cell pertussis component. In addition, the vaccine contains Tween-80, merthiolate, aluminum hydroxide, and an antibiotic.
DPT vaccine
The cause of an allergy to DTP is considered to be intolerance to one of the components of the drug. So, some children are sensitive to chicken protein, antibiotics, and gelatin.
In this case, a backlash to the tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough vaccine cannot be avoided. Allergies are often caused by the pertussis component. It contains a cell membrane, which causes side effects in many babies.
Merthiolate, Tween-80, aluminum hydroxide are all toxic substances that can also cause a rash or swelling. Judging by reviews from parents, many children develop an allergy to DPT. But here we must also take into account the human factor.
For example, adverse reactions may occur for the following reasons:
- the drug was stored under incorrect conditions (at high temperatures);
- doctors violated the technique of administering the medicine, shortened the interval between injections, and injected in the wrong place;
- the child has contraindications to the administration of DTP, which were not identified on the eve of the manipulation;
- parents fed the baby after vaccination with food that has highly allergenic properties.
Caring mothers and fathers are worried about the tolerability of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, so they decide, on the recommendation of a doctor or of their own free will, to give the child an antihistamine. Suprastin is most often used.
As for doctors, experts do not agree on the need to take an antiallergic drug. Some doctors believe that Suprastin therapy on the eve of vaccination can prevent unwanted consequences from DTP.
Doctors prescribe an antihistamine to all children, explaining the decision as follows:
- this antiallergic drug is well tolerated by children;
- after taking such a medication, the child does not redden the injection site, does not develop a rash or other more severe side effects (for example, anaphylaxis and Quincke's edema);
- The medicine is inexpensive and is sold in any pharmacy.
Tablets and solution for injection Suprastin
The second part of doctors opposes the use of Suprastin before vaccination.
Experts give the following arguments in favor of their decision:
- An antihistamine is a synthetic drug with many auxiliary components. It increases the load on the body;
- Any medication can cause intolerance. If Suprastin is not suitable for the child, then after vaccination it will not be clear which drug the allergy has developed to. If doctors think that the baby has developed hypersensitivity to DPT, then during subsequent revaccinations they will again prescribe Suprastin, which in fact was the culprit for the appearance of the rash. With each subsequent introduction of an allergen, the child’s body will react more pronouncedly;
- If you give Suprastin before the first DTP vaccination, it will not be clear how the baby tolerates the vaccine. If he has hypersensitivity to the tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis drug, then in the future the reaction will begin to manifest itself more clearly. Suprastin may not cope with severe allergies.
Pediatrician Komarovsky does not oppose antihistamine therapy on the eve of immunoprophylaxis.
But the doctor believes that Suprastin should be taken wisely. The doctor advises the following children to take this antiallergic drug before DTP:
- with protein intolerance;
- who had a body rash and hyperemia after the first dose of pertussis-diphtheria-tetanus toxoid;
- prone to allergic reactions to medications.
At the same time, Komarovsky does not recommend giving a child Suprastin before the first DTP vaccination.
The doctor believes that it is important to know the baby’s real reaction to the drug. If you develop an allergy to a vaccine, the doctor advises you to start taking Suprastin. The remedy quickly relieves unpleasant symptoms.
If the allergy to DTP is severe, then with further immunization it will become even stronger (up to the development of anaphylaxis and Quincke's edema). Therefore, in this case, Komarovsky recommends stopping further vaccination or replacing the domestic drug with an imported inactivated vaccine.
Dosage and rules of use
Suprastin is not prescribed to newborns under 1 month. If such a young child experiences an allergic reaction, you should immediately call an ambulance. An emergency doctor or paramedic often recommends hospitalization of a newborn in a hospital under round-the-clock observation. This is explained by the fact that the baby’s body’s resistance is very weak in the first weeks of life, and his health is very fragile. All diseases and immunopathological reactions develop rapidly, which requires urgent qualified assistance. Only a doctor can provide it, and specifically in a hospital setting, where everything necessary for medical measures, including resuscitation, is provided.
Suprastin is prescribed only in injection form. Tablets are not given to children either whole or crushed. Therefore, all indicated dosages refer to suprastin, produced in the form of an injection solution and packaged in ampoules. The drug is administered to the child intramuscularly - into the buttock, thigh or shoulder.
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Intravenous administration is possible only in the event of an acute, threatening allergic reaction or in severe cases. The medicine must be injected into the vein very slowly. You cannot give a child an injection into a vein on your own. This manipulation should only be performed by a medical professional.
The dosage of suprastin for a child is as follows:
- A baby aged 1 month to a year is injected intramuscularly with 0.25 ml of the substance or a quarter of an ampoule.
- Children from 1 year to 6 years old are given 0.5 ml or half an ampoule.
- Children from 6 to 14 years of age are allowed to administer up to 1 ml of the substance, a multiple of 1 ampoule.
Dosages for subcutaneous and intravenous administration are the same.
The dose can be increased with caution and depending on the child's response to the drug. The maximum dose is 2 mg per 1 kg of patient body weight. It is also necessary to note side effects from using the drug and inform your doctor about them.
Suprastin should be prescribed to a child by a doctor. If parents have experience successfully using the drug in this child, they can independently give the baby an injection before being examined by a doctor. It is unacceptable to administer Suprastin without a doctor's permission to an exhausted and weakened child, or children with impaired renal or liver function.
If parents do not know how to give suprastin to a newborn, or are not sure that they will be able to accurately measure the dose and administer the drug correctly, then it is better for them not to experiment and resort to qualified help. In acute situations, you need to call a doctor to the child’s home or other location.
Impact on the body and side effects
The active ingredients of the drug are almost completely absorbed from the digestive system. They are distributed throughout the body, including affecting the central nervous system, and are well metabolized in the liver. The active ingredients of suprastin are excreted primarily by the kidneys. In young children, the drug is eliminated faster than in adult patients.
Suprastin enhances the effect of ethanol on the central nervous system, so adult patients should avoid drinking alcoholic beverages during treatment with suprastin, and children should stop taking any medications that contain at least some ethyl alcohol. In general, it is highly not recommended to give tinctures, mixtures and other products containing ethyl alcohol to young children. The toxic effect of ethanol on the child’s body practically negates the benefits of the active ingredients of such products.
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Side effects in children are rare. Their nature is short-term, they are weakly expressed and go away on their own after discontinuation of the drug. Side effects include the following:
- Drowsiness,
- Increased fatigue
- Tremor,
- Headache,
- dizziness,
- Convulsions, euphoria,
- Leukopenia,
- Anemia,
- Nervous excitement
- Agranulocytosis,
- blurred vision,
- Increased intraocular pressure,
- Decreased blood pressure
- Dry mouth
- Discomfort in the abdominal area,
- Epigastric pain,
- Tachycardia,
- Arrhythmia,
- Vomit,
- Stool disorders
- Loss or, on the contrary, increase in appetite,
- Urinary retention
- Edema,
- Muscle weakness.
The list looks impressive, but you shouldn't be afraid of it. Negative consequences from the administration of the drug are rarely recorded. The benefits of suprastin significantly exceed the estimated minimal risk of side effects.
If a child experiences at least one of the listed phenomena, it is necessary to seek medical help. The doctor will replace the medicine with another drug with a different active ingredient or leave Suprastin in the prescriptions, but reduce the dosage.
In the initial period of therapy with suprastin, patients often experience some drowsiness, get tired more quickly, and their attention becomes distracted. This makes the use of suprastin undesirable for drivers and those whose work involves operating machinery. For children, these side effects are not particularly significant. In schoolchildren and students, suprastin therapy may cause some deterioration in academic performance.
How to give Suprastin before DTP vaccination to a child: dosage and regimen
Before vaccination, doctors recommend giving Suprastin for 3-4 days. The duration of preparation by the pediatrician is determined individually for each patient.
The specialist takes into account the baby’s health condition and his tendency to allergies. Suprastin is available in the form of tablets and injection solution. Both forms can be used. The tablet can be crushed into powder and added to complementary foods.
Before DPT, infants are given Suprastin in a dosage of 1/4 tablet per day. The injection form is considered safer because it bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and is less likely to cause side effects. But in this case, the mother or father must be able to give injections.
You can take the baby to the hospital or clinic for injections, but this will be additional stress for the child. The solution is administered at a dosage of 0.25 ml per day.
Rules for taking Suprastin before vaccination
Before vaccination, you need to drink Suprastin for several days . The duration of the training course is prescribed by the attending physician. It is possible to use the tablet form for children if the tablet can be crushed well. This powder can be added to complementary foods. Children under one year old should be given Suprastin before DPT and any other vaccination in a dosage of about 6 mg (a quarter of one tablet).
If a dosage form in the form of a solution in ampoules is used before and after vaccination, 0.25 ml (a quarter of one ampoule) is administered to children under one year of age.
How to give an antihistamine to a baby after vaccination?
After DTP, it is recommended to give the baby Suprastin over the next few days. The treatment regimen and dosage are similar to antihistamine preparation for vaccination. For hyperthermia, it is worth adding antipyretics to the treatment, which lower the temperature.
We must remember that most of the side effects of Suprastin appear after vaccination. If a child develops a rash, itchy skin, or hyperemia, then he probably has antihistamine intolerance. Then, according to the decision of the pediatrician, the drug is discontinued.
Contraindications to taking the medication and possible side effects
Any medicine can cause side effects. The risk of developing negative symptoms increases when using the drug for certain conditions. Manufacturers indicate in the instructions a list of contraindications for taking the drug and a list of possible negative reactions.
Suprastin is prohibited for children in the following cases:
- prematurity;
- intolerance to the components of the product;
- severe liver dysfunction;
- attack of bronchial asthma.
Babies after Suprastin may experience the following side effects:
- drowsiness;
- tremor;
- dizziness;
- nausea and vomiting;
- leukopenia;
- arrhythmia;
- hypotension;
- muscle weakness;
- diarrhea;
- increased intraocular pressure;
- abdominal pain;
- loss of appetite;
- nervous excitement.
These conditions are temporary and disappear on their own after stopping the medication.
Side effects when using Suprastin
Although the medicine is used as a means to prevent side effects of vaccines, Suprastin itself can cause undesirable symptoms before and after vaccination:
- Disorders of the hematopoietic system - a decrease in the number of white blood cells, leukocytes, granulocytes, anemia, accompanied by hemolysis of red blood cells with the release of hemoglobin into the blood;
- The main side effect is drowsiness. The child sleeps more than usual, cries a little, and is calm. Minor tremor, convulsions, headaches are also possible;
- Increased intraocular pressure (rare in children);
- Hypotension with an increase in heart rate, various cardiac arrhythmias are possible;
- Colic, dry mouth, nausea, frequent bowel movements, change in stool consistency or retention, change in appetite;
- Weakness of the muscles of the limbs;
- Difficulty urinating.
If any adverse reaction occurs before or after vaccination, it is necessary to show the baby to a specialist and decide on the possibility of using Suprastin next time.
What can replace the medicine?
Some doctors consider Suprastin not the best choice for preparing for vaccination. The fact is that the drug dries out the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. This increases the chances of a child becoming infected after vaccination against the background of reduced immunity and parents’ non-compliance with the pediatrician’s recommendations regarding prohibitions on contact with people.
Doctors believe that there are many other antihistamines that are well tolerated by infants, prevent the development of allergies and have few side effects.
For example, you can replace Suprastin with the following drugs:
- Fenistil;
- Claritin;
- Zyrtec;
- Cetrin;
- Diazolin;
- Pipolfen;
- Erius;
- Zodak.
It is not worth changing Suprastin for an analogue on your own. The pediatrician should select a medicine for the child, taking into account the characteristics of the baby’s body and his age.
