Vasoconstrictor nasal drops used to treat runny nose differ in their active ingredients, which vary in strength. Therefore, some of them, for example Naphthyzin, cannot be prescribed to children due to the threat of severe poisoning, otolaryngologist, surgeon, head of the clinical diagnostic center of the Scientific and Clinical Center No. 3 of the Russian Scientific Center. The surgery that bears his name. Petrovsky Alexey Litvinov.
“There are medications that are not recommended for children, such as Naphthyzin. The active ingredient here is naphazoline, which causes poisoning with subsequent hospitalization in intensive care. Previously, it was prescribed to everyone. There was no such variety of drops,” Litvinov explained.
However, the drug is still used to treat runny nose in children. However, a different dosage is used.
“There is a 0.05% solution – it can be used for children over 1 year old, but only 1-2 drops per day, but there is a 0.1% solution – it can no longer be used. However, I still do not recommend you take risks. There are many more safe falls today,” Litvinov said.
According to the expert, it is better to replace the drops with preparations for rinsing the sinuses. But it is important to correctly follow the washing procedure, which can be found on the Internet.
“Based on the main points, I can underline that children under the age of 4 should never wash their nose with a strong stream and should buy a special aspirator or irrigator. Also, you should never turn your head, especially for children: after all, the auditory tube in the nasopharynx in children is much shorter and wider than in adults and is located at a different angle. “If the solution reaches there, otitis media may develop,” concluded the expert.
Learn more about what drops should be used to treat a runny nose, how addiction to rhinitis medications is formed, why alternative methods of treating the disease do not work, and whether untreated runny nose can really be fatal – in report Litvinov “socialbites.ca”.
Previous scientists to create A nasal spray that speeds recovery from COVID-19.