Calcium gluconate for the treatment of children

Children’s healthy growth and development depend on the mineral calcium. It is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and bones, as well as for facilitating nerve and muscle function. Doctors may suggest supplements like calcium gluconate to help children who don’t get enough calcium from their diet.

One drug that gives calcium in a form the body can easily absorb is calcium gluconate. It is frequently used to treat kids who have low calcium levels or certain ailments that call for more calcium support. There are various forms of the supplement available, such as tablets, liquid, and injections, based on the child’s condition and needs.

Parents might be curious about the use of calcium gluconate and its mechanism of action. It’s critical to comprehend the situations in which this supplement may be advised as well as how it can enhance a child’s general health. This article will discuss the use of calcium gluconate in children and what parents need to know about it.

About the drug

Chemically speaking, calcium gluconate is a salt that is created when calcium and gluconic acid combine. The end product is a tasteless, white powder that dissolves readily in water but completely solidifies in ether or alcohol. It is regarded as a useful mineral supplement in medicine that provides patients with hypocalcemia with excellent therapeutic results. This phrase describes the body’s lack of calcium.

Children need calcium more than adults do because it protects bone tissue, strengthens teeth, aids in the process of hematopoiesis, which is in charge of blood clotting, and is crucial for the healthy operation of the neurological, cardiovascular, and muscular systems in the skeleton. The thyroid gland and pancreas cannot operate normally in the absence of enough calcium. It should be mentioned that calcium can only effectively carry out all these tasks when it interacts with phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin D. Thus, it’s critical that they are present in sufficient amounts for calcium to be completely absorbed and have a beneficial effect.

Children have a high calcium requirement when they are going through an intense growth period. However, this does not imply that "Calcium Gluconate" should be taken as a preventative by everyone. Doctors only prescribe this medication to kids who truly need it. If not, an excess of calcium develops, which is just as dangerous for the baby’s health and life as a deficiency.

When a child’s calcium levels are low, calcium gluconate is frequently used to help promote healthy bone development and guard against problems like muscle cramps and seizures. It is frequently administered when a child has certain medical issues that interfere with their body’s ability to absorb calcium or when their diet alone isn’t providing enough calcium. Although generally safe, it’s crucial to heed a doctor’s advice to ensure the right dosage and avoid negative effects.

Indications for use

• hypocalcemia caused by insufficient or irrational nutrition;
• hypocalcemia, accompanying various pathological changes in hematopoiesis, with low blood clotting;
• osteoporosis — a disease in which the bone skeleton softens and loses strength;
• an imbalance of nutrients, metabolic disorders — vitamin D deficiency;

• with established and confirmed rickets;
• in case of an urgent need to obtain the mineral (during a child’s very rapid growth or the eruption of several teeth at once);
• with large losses of calcium associated with taking diuretics, a long-term illness during which the child was forced to lie in bed for a long time, with prolonged diarrhea, as well as during treatment with antiepileptic pharmaceutical drugs;
• with allergies — both acute and chronic, expressed in skin manifestations (urticaria, dermatoses) and in respiratory manifestations (allergic rhinitis, angioedema, bronchial asthma);
• with various bleedings;

• with muscle weakness (myoplegia);
• with liver pathologies caused by exposure to certain toxins;
• for colds, frequent and severe acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections – to increase vascular permeability, which can be disrupted due to the effects of an inflammatory infectious process;
• for some nephritis.

Release form

There are two pharmacological forms of the drug available: injection solution and tablet form. The 250 mg and 500 mg tablets come in both hard and chewable forms. The solution is specifically made to be administered intramuscularly and intravenously.

Children should only use calcium salts in tablets at home. When an adult patient needs an urgent response, such as when there is severe blood loss, allergic edema, or shock, an emergency physician will frequently use solutions. In these cases, the medication is given intravenously or in drop form. The medication can also be given intravenously to children, though at a very low dose. But there need to be strong signs supporting this. Never attempt this by yourself.

Instructions for use

Before using, thoroughly crush the tablets. Give kids a small amount of the resulting powder along with some breast milk or water. It’s critical to adhere to the age-appropriate dosage because too much calcium can lead to serious issues. dosages for kids:

• for infants under 1 year old and newborns – no more than 0.5 g;
• for children aged 2 to 5 years – 1 g (the maximum daily dosage should not exceed 3 g);
• children aged 5 to 7 years – 1.0-1.5 g (no more than 4.5 g per day);
• children aged 7 to 10 years – 2 g (no more than 6 g per day);
• children aged 10 to 13 years – 2.0-2.5 g (no more than 8 g per day);
• teenagers from 13 years old – 3 g (no more than 9 g per day).

It is preferable to split the medication’s daily dosage into two or three doses. The medication should be administered to the child either an hour and a half before meals or before meals. Water or milk must be used to dilute crushed tablets. As for the use of milk with calcium preparations, medical professionals are still at odds. Many experts contend that staying away from dairy products and using regular water is preferable.

However, using milk is suggested as a fully acceptable substitute in the official instructions for the medication. It is preferable to ask the attending physician this question if you are unsure.

Children are prescribed "Calcium Gluconate" in conjunction with antihistamine medications during a severe allergic reaction, particularly in the acute stage, as calcium amplifies the effects of these medications. If any other medication is not working well, calcium may be suggested as a cure to get rid of other people’s "side effects."

The average length of the calcium tablet treatment course is between 10 and 30 days. The course may be extended for certain kids as directed by a physician.

A maximum of 5 ml of the so-called "hot injection" (10% calcium gluconate solution), which has been heated to body temperature, is given intravenously. This needs to be done once every two or three days in the event of severe skin diseases, magnesium salt poisoning, severe blood loss, or convulsions, which can be dangerous for the child. Almost invariably, when a child has severe, acute allergies that are violent and linked to edema, breathing becomes difficult.

Children should not receive intramuscular or subcutaneous solutions due to the excessive risk of tissue necrosis.

Contraindications

Children who have specific contraindications shouldn’t receive the medication. Among them are:

• individual intolerance, sensitivity to calcium;
• hypercalciuria – a condition when mineral salts are excreted in excessively high concentrations in the urine;
• hypercalcemia – excess calcium;

• a tendency to increased blood clotting, to the formation of blood clots;
• atherosclerosis;
• in complex and severe types of renal failure;
• sarcoidosis.

Side effects

When using this medication, side effects are typically not noticed as long as the dosage and therapy schedule are followed. Only a tiny proportion of cases may result in the following phenomena:

• heart rhythm disturbances (like bradycardia);
• supersaturation of the body with calcium;
• increased calcium content in the urine;
• nausea and vomiting;

• diarrhea or constipation;
• swelling of the legs, frequent urination (in kidney diseases);
• formation of stone-like deposits of mineral salts in the intestines (with prolonged use of high doses of the drug);
• allergic reaction.

Symptoms of overdose

A child’s mineral excess is not apparent right away; it takes some time to become apparent after they begin taking excessive or inappropriate dosages. Some symptoms of hypercalcemia include the following:

• constipation or prolonged diarrhea;
• vomiting;
• abdominal pain (in the stomach);

• muscle weakness;
• high blood pressure;
• kidney stones;
• in particularly severe cases – loss and confusion of consciousness, hallucinations, coma.

Analogues

• "Calcium glycerophosphate";
• "Calcium Sandoz";
• "Calcium D" – syrup;

• "Calcium D3 Nycomed";
• "Kaltsinova".

This beneficial and essential mineral is frequently found in children’s multivitamin complexes. These medications, however, cannot be regarded as therapeutic. Their purpose is to avoid deficiencies of this beneficial material, rather than to address ailments brought on by insufficient calcium.

Doctors frequently advise children to take calcium gluconate to support their health, especially if they require an increase in calcium levels. Growing up strong and healthy depends in large part on taking this supplement, which can help strengthen teeth and bones.

When giving calcium gluconate to a child, parents should always heed the advice of their physician because the appropriate dosage varies depending on the child’s age and medical needs. While over-the-counter supplements may seem convenient, getting professional help will guarantee your child gets the best results.

Including foods high in calcium in a balanced diet is also essential for promoting children’s development. For a child’s general health, natural calcium sources like dairy products and leafy greens are just as important, even though supplements can be helpful.

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