Be careful when using Naphazoline nasal drops for children

Naphazoline nasal drops are commonly used in cases of nasal congestion (nasal congestion) causing difficulty breathing. However, the abuse of naphazoline, especially with children, can have serious consequences.

Naphazoline is a sympathomimetic drug, with rapid and prolonged local vasoconstriction, reducing swelling and congestion in rhinitis, sinusitis. The drug is indicated in the treatment of symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, rhinitis. Naphazoline nasal drops have a vasoconstrictor effect that reaches within 10 minutes and lasts for about 2-6 hours. When instilling the drug into the nasal mucosa, the patient will feel that the nose is relieved and temporarily easy to breathe. It is because of its fast and effective effects, and the drug is widely sold in pharmacies at a relatively cheap price, causing drug abuse.

At the time of changing seasons, sudden heat and cold, polluted environment makes children's airways easily irritated, congested, when they have a stuffy nose, they will have trouble sleeping, stop feeding and cry. At such times, because they are so worried, parents often arbitrarily use nose drops for children even though they do not fully understand the composition and effects of the drug. Naphazolin nasal drops with concentrations of 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1% are popular and easily abused drugs.
As recommended, when using Naphazolin nasal drops, do not use continuously for more than 3 days. Using several times a day or using it continuously for more than 1 week can cause familiarity with the drug, making the nose more stuffy... Poisoning due to overdose (when used topically, the dose is too high or taken by mistake) can causes central nervous system depression such as hypothermia, bradycardia, sweating, drowsiness, convulsions, coma, especially in children.
Therefore, Naphazoline nasal drops should not be used in children under 6 years of age. For adults and children over 12 years: Instill 1-2 drops of 0.05% Naphazoline into each nostril, every 3-6 hours. The duration of use should not exceed 3-5 days.

Children 6-12 years old: Put 1-2 drops of 0.05% Naphazoline into each nostril, every 3-6 hours. The duration of use should not exceed 3-5 days. The use of the drug requires the supervision of a doctor.
Do not use repeatedly and continuously to avoid severe congestion again. When using nasal drops for 3 consecutive days does not help, the patient should stop taking the medicine and see a doctor.
Naphazoline nasal drops are contraindicated in the following cases:
Patients with hypersensitivity to the drug Infants People with glaucoma, closed angle glaucoma

Children with Naphazoline nasal drops poisoning symptoms appear as early as 2 hours, with neurological symptoms such as lethargy, somnolence, coma, cardiovascular symptoms such as cold limbs, pale blue, possibly experiencing high blood pressure, bradycardia, respiratory symptoms such as slow breathing, irregular breathing, apnea (loss on painful stimuli, crying), severe poisoning the child may have hypothermia. These manifestations last a few hours to half a day. Currently, there is no specific antidote, so only symptomatic treatment. Mild cases do not require treatment, but the symptoms disappear, just monitor the child's progress and stop taking naphazoline. In severe cases, the child should be taken to the emergency room for prompt treatment.

In summary, parents need to be cautious when using Naphazolin nasal drops for children, if the child has a stuffy nose, has difficulty breathing, they should use 0.9% NaCl physiological saline to dilute the nasal secretions for easy cleaning. nose. Do not arbitrarily use naphazoline for children without a doctor's prescription.
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