Humans are creatures that will not run away from getting sick, or at least once in their lifetime. Humans as an organism that is dynamic will often need to ensure they are in good health so that they are able to perform their daily life routine and achieve many things in life. Medicine is certainly needed to treat conditions where rest or sleep is insufficient to make a person feel better. Do you know there is actually medicine known as oral granules?
Do you know what granules actually are? You may be familiar with medication in the form of tablets, capsules, powder, liquid or even jelly but granules may not be something you come across everyday. Granule is a kind of substance made of raw materials after extraction and added with certain excipients before it becomes dry and forms granules. Granules can be considered as oral solid which is commonly a form of medication used for children. Although it is generally safe for children, parents need to play a pivotal role to ensure it is taken under their adult supervision so it is taken safely.
Granules in general when used in children are designed to be taken with a small amount of food. It is as simple as sprinkle or stir in the granules in their drink or soft food. While it is easy to give this kind of medication, parents should ensure the food or drink already containing the granules are taken straight away without shewing. This will ensure the children received the proper dosage as intended by their doctors. Granules may also be mixed with cold water. It is advisable to not mix granules with warm food or granules as it can reduce the effectiveness of the medicine. If the child is able to take granules right into the mouth, it is allowed too. Children that take the granules must finish the granules from the opened sachet in 15 minutes. Do dispose of the sachet with the contents if it has been opened for more than 15 minutes. Parents are advised to not keep granules or food mixture with granules to give on later time.
There are 2 common medications in the form of oral granules used in children. We will focus one by one to help you understand the medication. The first one is montelukast oral granules. Montelukast is a medication belonging to a class of leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs). Montelukast works by inhibiting the airways cysteinyl leukotriene receptors to produce the effect of relaxing the airways. Montelukast is indicated in children aged 12 months and above for treating asthma. It may also be given as prophylaxis which means the medication helps to reduce the likelihood for asthma attack. It may also be used in treating children with allergic rhinitis. Montelukast is not suitable for treatment of acute asthma. Oral granule in a sachet contains 4 mg of montelukast that is often taken daily in the evening. Similar to many other medications, there are possible side effects that may occur when taking montelukast. This includes headache, nausea, vomiting, sleep problems, agitation, aggression, abdominal pain, thirstiness, vomiting and diarrhoea. Sleep problems can be sleeping difficulties, decreased sleep, interrupted sleep and nightmares. It is important to talk with a doctor when there are any side effects and to not stop taking the medication without advice from the doctor. Patients need to take montelukast regularly even when they feel well to ensure their condition is well controlled.
The second kind of oral granule is terbinafine. Terbinafine is an antifungal that works by inhibiting growth of fungi. Terbinafine is prescribed to treat fungal infections of the scalp in children. It is safe to be used in children aged 4 or older. Terbinafine is typically taken for 6 weeks once a day. Dose of terbinafine will be based on the child’s body weight. Oral granule can contain 125 mg or 187.5 mg of terbinafine per packet. Similar to other medications, terbinafine oral granules do come with possible side effects with the common ones being headache, fever, cough, vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and upper respiratory tract infection. It is important to keep using the medication even when the patient is feeling well because fungal infection itself does take time to go away even with antifungal. Failure to take medication regularly and finish the antifungal course can lead to failure of treatment.
In essence, oral granules are a form of medication commonly given to children to help with adherence to the drugs. Oral granules make it easy for parents or adults to ensure the child takes the medication regularly. Oral granules should never be mixed with warm food or drinks and best to avoid mixing with acidic food or drinks as it may affect the medication effectiveness when taken. There are two medications famous for oral granules which are montelukast and terbinafine. Terbinafine in the form of granules may not be easily found nowadays.