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Anaferon for children is the best cure for influenza
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In the midst of a flu epidemic, many mothers have two questions: how to protect a healthy child from a viral infection and how to treat a sick child. Against the background of a huge assortment of pharmacies and conflicting recommendations of doctors, choosing the right product looks difficult. Let’s try to figure out how to treat the flu correctly.
So, influenza is a viral disease, and it needs to be treated with drugs that act directly on the virus. Many people understand the word “infection” as something abstract – “any infection.” But diseases caused by viruses or bacteria are different, and they need to be treated with different drugs. Our “favorite” antibiotics can be prescribed to treat only bacterial infections, it makes no sense to give them the first days of flu or acute respiratory infections – the antibiotic does not work on the virus.
If antibiotics do not work on viruses, why then do doctors prescribe them specifically for influenza and acute respiratory infections? There are several reasons for this. Firstly, against the background of a viral disease, a bacterial infection can join – in this case, the appointment of antibiotics is justified. But with the development of a complication, as a rule, a certain time passes from the onset of the disease, therefore antibiotics are not prescribed from the first days of the disease – there is no point in this. Secondly, the doctor can play it safe and prescribe an antibiotic for your child from the first days of illness – “just in case.” But the pills are not candy and you should not give them to the child just in case – this is superfluous for the child’s body.
How to block the multiplication of the virus
But what should be given from the first hours of the disease is antiviral drugs. They are intended to treat a viral infection. Drugs such as
Antiviral drugs (although not all) are also suitable for protecting a child from the flu. An attentive mother will ask: “Why is there an antiviral agent if there are no viruses in the body yet? What to fight with? ” and will be right. For prophylactic purposes, it makes sense to give only those drugs that also affect the immune system. For example, Anaferon for children – the drug increases the production of antiviral substances-interferons in the body and increases the body’s sensitivity to the interferon produced by it.
Therefore, a healthy child in the midst of an epidemic can be given Anaferon for children in a prophylactic dose – 1 tablet per day. The duration of the prophylaxis course is on average 2-3 weeks, but if desired, it can be extended up to 3 months. Such a reception scheme allows you to protect the child for the entire epidemiological period, which is of particular importance for weakened, often ill children and allergic babies (who cannot be sick – this will worsen the course of the allergic process).
How do antipyretic drugs work?
We should also say about antipyretic drugs, which have gained popularity in recent years. They are now advertised as treatments for influenza, but note that they do not actually cure influenza. Antipyretics (paracetamol and analogs) do not act on viruses, they only temporarily relieve one or more flu symptoms, for example, lower the temperature. As soon as the effect of such a drug ends, the symptom returns.
Doctors do not recommend rushing to lower the temperature – this is not always useful. Fever in the first days of the disease is a protective reaction of the body – this is how it fights infection. Against the background of temperature, immune processes are accelerated, and the destruction of viruses is faster. By lowering the temperature, you run the risk of slowing down the process of fighting a viral infection. Doctors recommend lowering the temperature if it is above 38.5 C º. It is also recommended to lower the temperature for children who have had convulsions in the past against a background of fever, babies in the first 3 months of life, and in the presence of chronic diseases in children of any age. Your local doctor will give you exact recommendations, he will also tell you how to reduce body temperature by rubbing with warm water.
We did not talk about symptomatic therapy aimed at eliminating various flu symptoms: cough, sore throat, headache. But with this, everything is more or less clear: there is a remedy for each symptom. For example, for cough there are drugs that stop a dry, painful cough, thinning phlegm and making it easier to pass. And nasal congestion is eliminated with drops and sprays (babies can only take drops).
The severity of the symptoms depends on the course of the disease, and with a mild course there is a possibility that the symptoms will be mild or absent altogether, and symptomatic therapy will not be needed.