Can babies take hormone drugs?

Review of the hormone cream incident: After a parent used "XX Multi-Effect Special Care Antibacterial Cream" on his 5-month-old baby, the baby turned into a "big-headed baby" within two months - developmental delay, excessive hair, and swollen face.

As soon as this news came out, all parents were "scared to death" when talking about hormones. When they heard the doctor prescribe hormone drugs for their babies at the hospital, they immediately refused.

In order to give parents a comprehensive understanding of hormone drugs, let’s talk about hormone drugs today.

What are hormone drugs

Broad definition: Drugs with human or animal hormones (including organic substances with the same structure and action principle as hormones) as active ingredients.

Narrow definition: When doctors refer to "hormone drugs" without special instructions, it is the abbreviation of "adrenal glucocorticoid drugs".

Identification: Drugs with "song", "long" or "naide" in their names are likely to be glucocorticoid drugs. Glucocorticoid drugs containing "fluorine" or "chlorine" have relatively large side effects and should not be used for a long time unless necessary.

Commonly used hormone drugs in pediatrics

Otolaryngology

Common disease types: allergic rhinitis, laryngitis; commonly used drugs: mometasone furoate, fluticasone propionate, budesonide, dexamethasone, etc.

dermatology

Common disease types: allergic dermatitis, infantile eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, neurodermatitis and pruritus; commonly used drugs: hydrocortisone, mometasone furoate, triamcinolone acetonide, etc.

Respiratory Medicine

Common disease types: bronchial asthma, wheezing-related respiratory diseases, cough-related respiratory diseases, Mycoplasma pneumonia, acute laryngotracheobronchitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia; Commonly used drugs: budesonide, beclomethasone dipropionate, fluticasone propionate, etc.

Nephrology

Common disease types: nephrotic syndrome; commonly used drugs: prednisone, etc.

Rheumatology

Common disease types: Henoch-Schonlein purpura, Kawasaki disease, systemic vasculitis in children, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, juvenile dermatomyositis; Commonly used drugs: prednisone, methylprednisolone, etc.

The benefits of hormone drugs

Glucocorticoids mainly have anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, antiviral and anti-shock effects. Currently, glucocorticoids are one of the most commonly used drugs in clinical practice, and glucocorticoids are also widely used in pediatric diseases:

Nasal glucocorticoids play an important role in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and are currently the first-line drug for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Topical glucocorticoids are the first-line drug for the treatment and control of atopic dermatitis in children at all stages. Glucocorticoids are the most effective drug for controlling airway inflammation, and inhaled glucocorticoids are the preferred first-line drug for long-term control of asthma. Nephrotic syndrome is divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and congenital, and primary nephrotic syndrome accounts for about 90% of nephrotic syndrome in children. Glucocorticoids are the first-line drug for the treatment of primary nephrotic syndrome. Glucocorticoids are the basic therapeutic drugs for rheumatic diseases and are widely used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, generally requiring a longer period of application.

The “disadvantages” of hormone drugs

The adverse reactions of glucocorticoids are related to their dosage and course of treatment. Long-term, high-dose or irregular use of glucocorticoids can cause a series of adverse reactions.

The use of glucocorticoids to treat pediatric diseases requires strict control of indications, selection of appropriate treatment methods, and comprehensive consideration of factors such as the severity of the disease, age, and physical constitution to develop a targeted treatment plan. Parents, please remember to follow the doctor's advice.

Whether hormone drugs are "good" or "bad" depends on how they are used. It is wrong to over-trust their miraculous effects, but it is also not advisable to arbitrarily deny them.

Finally, I would like to remind all parents to be careful of the hidden hormone products around them: animal offal, chicken and duck meat, ripened fruits, health products, canned food, three-no baby cream

References

[1] Jiang Zhe, Zhong Aijiao. Current status and rationality of the application of glucocorticoids in pediatric diseases[J]. Chinese Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, 2015, 35(5): 440-443.

[2] Yang Qintai, Chen Jianjun, Tan Guolin, et al. Expert consensus on nasal glucocorticoids for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (2021, Shanghai) [J]. Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Skull Base Surgery, 2021, 27(4): 365-371.

[3] Pediatric Dermatology Group, Chinese Society of Dermatology and Venereology. Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis in children in China (2017 edition)[J]. Chinese Journal of Dermatology, 2017, 50(11):784-789.

[4] Shen Kunling, Deng Li, Li Yunzhu, et al. Expert consensus on the application of glucocorticoid aerosol inhalation therapy in pediatrics (2018 revised version) [J]. Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, 2018, 36(2): 95-107.

[5] Nephrology Group, Pediatrics Branch, Chinese Medical Association. Evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of steroid-sensitive, relapsing/dependent nephrotic syndrome in children (2016)[J]. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, 2017, 55(10):729-734.

[6] Committee on Pediatric Drug Use of the Chinese Medical Association Pediatrics Branch, Immunology Group of the Chinese Medical Association Pediatrics Branch, Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Pediatrics. Expert consensus on the use of glucocorticoids in pediatric rheumatic diseases (Part 1) [J]. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, 2018, 56(3): 166-173.

[7] Committee on Pediatric Drug Use of the Chinese Medical Association Pediatrics Branch, Immunology Group of the Chinese Medical Association Pediatrics Branch, Editorial Board of Chinese Journal of Pediatrics. Expert consensus on the use of glucocorticoids in pediatric rheumatic diseases (Part 2) [J]. Chinese Journal of Pediatrics, 2019, 57(1): 16-20.

[8]Ronchetti S, Migliorati G, Bruscoli S, et al. Defining the role of glucocorticoids in inflammation[J]. Clinical Science, 2018, 132(14):1529-1543.

[9] Kim HS, Sol IS, Li D, et al. Efficacy of glucocorticoids for the treatment of macrolide refractory mycoplasma pneumonia in children: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials[J]. BMC Pulm Med, 2019, 19(1):251-264.

Source: Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Children's Hospital

Author: Pharmacist Zhang Hongpan

Reviewer: Sun Yanyan, Chief Pharmacist

Yu He, Chief Pharmacist

Academic authenticity, the author is responsible for the content