Four Seasons Pharmacist says | Are hormones for children to inhale "terrible"? NO, that's because you are not using them properly!

Winter and spring are the peak seasons for children's respiratory diseases. Inhalation therapy plays an important role as a widely used technical means in this type of disease. "Inhaled hormones" are the "star drugs" in inhalation therapy. The "immediate" effect and concerns about toxic side effects often make parents love and hate them. Therefore, some parents will question why doctors prescribe inhaled hormones to their children; some will stop using the drugs as soon as the child's symptoms improve slightly; some will reduce the dosage of inhaled hormones for their children without authorization...

Hormones are divided into glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and gonadal hormones. Hormones in "inhaled hormone drugs" usually refer to glucocorticoids, which are delivered directly to the airways by inhalation to exert local effects. Therefore, adverse reactions are relatively few and safe. They can effectively avoid or reduce adverse reactions caused by oral and injection hormones, such as obesity, acne, buffalo hump, moon face, and other symptoms. Therefore, what is scary is not the hormone drugs themselves, but the fact that people do not fully understand them and do not use them in a standardized manner!
To this end, Yaowa has summarized three common irregular behaviors of parents when using inhaled hormone drugs. These behaviors are truly "scary".

One terrible thing: irregular operation

There are different dosage forms of inhaled hormone drugs, the most common ones are nebulizer inhalers, pressure metered-dose aerosols, dry powder inhalers, etc. Choosing the right dosage form and mastering the correct method of use are the key to drug treatment. Improper operation methods will not only affect the therapeutic effect of drugs, but also cause the accumulation of drugs in the mouth and pharynx, increase the occurrence of side effects, and may cause oral fungal infections, hoarseness, sore throat, etc. For example, the mask is not fastened during inhalation, resulting in reduced drug absorption, and the failure to rinse the mouth after inhaling the drug causes local side effects in the oropharynx. Therefore, doctors or pharmacists usually choose appropriate devices according to children of different ages and their degree of cooperation, and provide regular guidance and evaluation.

The second terrible thing: stopping or reducing the dosage without authorization

Some parents stop taking medication or reduce the dosage immediately after their children's symptoms have been relieved after several days of inhalation treatment, believing that more inhaled hormones are not good for their children. This behavior is not advisable. The initial treatment only controls the symptoms, but the inflammation in the respiratory tract still exists and will recur under the stimulation of external factors. Therefore, individualized treatment with a full course of treatment and a full dose is required, and medication should not be stopped or reduced without authorization! Stopping or reducing medication must be done under the guidance of a specialist.

Three terrible things: random use

In recent years, with the increasing use of inhaled hormone drugs, another voice has also emerged - "This drug has no side effects, as long as there are respiratory symptoms, just use hormones first." This is also absolutely not allowed! Inhaled drugs are not only hormone drugs, but also bronchodilators, expectorants and other drugs. Different respiratory diseases have different drug treatment plans, and most non-professional parents find it difficult to distinguish. If children inhale drugs at will during an attack of the disease, it will not only delay the treatment of the disease, but also bring safety risks.

Inhaled hormone drugs are not scary. With professional diagnosis and treatment by specialist physicians and standardized and reasonable use by parents, they are a safe and effective treatment for children's respiratory diseases.