When it comes to giving children cold or allergy medicines, you have to be very careful, because they are the most sensitive to chemicals and the ones that run the greatest risk of suffering adverse effects. Today we talk about one of these drugs, Allegra, and we tell you everything about their indications, side effects and warnings.
About the Allegra medication
Like Claritin, Actifed or Benadryl, Allegra is an antihistamine that helps alleviate allergy symptoms. Its main use is limited to inhibitor of H1 receptors, preventing the histamine that secretes the body from reaching them and causing the known effects of the types of allergies.
In general, Allegra is intended to treat symptoms such as watery eyes, difficulty breathing, inflammation of the arteries of the nasal passages, itching of the nostrils, sneezing, etc.
Allegra also has other uses, which are usually associated with dermatological problems. In this sense, the drug is also used to combat chronic idiopathic urticaria. It is a disease of the skin that is characterized by the appearance of hives without an apparent apparent reason, although in certain cases it can be linked to high levels of histamine.
Generally Allegra is a medication used in adults. Its use in children should always be subject to close monitoring and control by a physician. You can buy it from RXShopMD.
Allegra for children: Indications
As we say, it is essential to go to the doctor before giving Allegra to a child. The doctor or pediatrician must recognize the child to know what their symptoms are and decide if this medication can be a solution. In no case should the doses indicated by the doctor be exceeded, as these would increase the risk of the child appearing as side effects or other complications.
In general, this medication should not be used to treat allergic rhinitis in children under 2 years of age. And for those who are between 2 and 11 years old it is essential that the shots are subject to strict control. Only the use of Allegra is recommended between 6 months and 2 years in cases of chronic urticaria (with more than 6 weeks duration), but in any case it should never be used in children under 6 months.
These are the recommended doses in each case. To combat the symptoms of allergy:
- The children between 2 and 11 years of age should take 30 mg. twice a day (once every 12 hours).
For cases of chronic urticaria:
- The children between 2 and 11 years of age should take 30 mg. in two doses per day (once every 12 hours).
- The children between 6 months and 2 years of age should take 15 mg. in two doses per day (once every 12 hours).
Note that these doses are of a general nature, and may vary depending on each case. Therefore, knowing these data does not exempt from taking the child to the doctor or pediatrician anyway.
On the other hand, in case of having missed a shot, you should never duplicate the next shot to “recover what was lost”. Instead we can:
- Give it to the child normally if there is only an hour or two of delay, and give the following at 10-11 hours to continue with the initial schedule.
- If, on the other hand, 5 or 6 hours have already passed, we can normally take the next one and do the next one at 12 o’clock (we would delay the initial hours by 5 or 6 hours).
- If we have forgotten to take the shot and there are only a few hours left for the next one, it is best to wait and skip the shot (the initial schedule does not change, but we will have skipped one shot).
Allegra for children: Side effects
Studies show that the side effects of Allegra in children between 2 and 11 years are similar to those in adults. The most frequent symptoms that have been reported are the headaches, the feeling of drowsiness, dizziness and nausea, the feeling of tiredness, etc. In more isolated cases cases of nervousness, night terrors or skin rashes have been reported.
It should also be noted that there are factors that can cause other side effects more adverse, may be able to seriously alter the central nervous system and may cause catatonic states, seizures or even coma. Always in the most serious cases.
Among these factors is always self-medication, which increases the risk of overexposing the child to fexofenadine and other potentially toxic substances. But there are also others like the child’s allergy to the medication itself, or that is following a treatment incompatible with taking antihistamines. For these and other reasons of common sense, it is essential that it is always the doctor or pediatrician who authorizes the use of Allegra.
Patients who have suffered some type of negative reaction with Allegra usually report symptoms such as dry mouth, swollen tongue and throat, breathing difficulties, feeling of lightheadedness, increased heart rate, diarrhea and acute stomach pains, etc. If we notice that the child suffers any of these symptoms after taking the medication, you must go immediately to the doctor or pediatrician.