Cheston Cold for Children: Safety, Dosage, and Precautions

Cheston Cold Suspension is used for managing the common cold and its symptoms in children. This suspension helps alleviate sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny or congested nose and throat. Specifically designed to address colds caused by viruses like the rhinovirus, which enters the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth, Cheston Cold suspension is also effective in managing allergy symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, itching, swelling, congestion, and stuffiness. This suspension is intended for children under 12. If your child is above 12, you can give Cheston Cold tablet.

Main Uses of Cheston Cold suspension 

1. Nasal Congestion: Phenylephrine, one of the active ingredients, works as a decongestant by narrowing the blood vessels in the nasal passages. This reduces swelling and provides relief from sinus pressure and congestion, making it easier to breathe.
2. Common Cold: Cheston Cold suspension effectively relieves the symptoms of the common cold, including a runny nose, fever, and nasal congestion. These symptoms are often caused by viral infections that the body encounters in everyday environments.
3. Allergies: This suspension is also beneficial for managing allergies caused by hay fever, insect bites and stings, eczema, and certain food allergies. It helps reduce sneezing, itching, and other allergy symptoms, making daily life more comfortable.
4. Pain and Fever Relief: Cheston Cold suspension contains paracetamol, which helps alleviate mild to moderate pain. This includes pain from headaches, toothaches, and the discomfort that comes with cold or flu symptoms.

How Cheston Cold suspension Works

Active Ingredients in this suspension are:

1. Paracetamol/acetaminophen (125 mg): Paracetamol is a common pain reliever and fever reducer. It helps to reduce pain and fever associated with cold symptoms.
2. Phenylephrine (5 mg): Phenylephrine is a decongestant that narrows blood vessels in the nasal passages. This action helps to relieve nasal congestion.
3. Cetrizine (2mg): Cetrizine is an antihistamine that helps to relieve symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose. It also has a sedating effect that can help with sleep disturbances caused by cold symptoms.

Common Side Effects

While Cheston Cold suspension  is effective, it can cause some common side effects, including:

• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Impaired coordination
• Difficulty falling asleep

If your child experiences these side effects, let them rest.

Who should not be given Cheston Cold suspension?

Children with certain health conditions should not be given Cheston Cold suspension or consult a doctor before using it. These conditions include:

• High blood pressure
• Kidney or liver dysfunction
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hyperthyroidism
• Heart problems
• Phenylketonuria (PKU)
• Asthma or COPD
• Closed-angle glaucoma

Medicines to Avoid with Cheston Cold suspension 

Avoid giving the following medicines while on Cheston Cold suspension  due to potential interactions:

• Anticoagulants (e.g., Warfarin): Combining these can increase the risk of bleeding.
• Cholesterol-lowering medications (e.g., Cholestyramine): These can reduce the absorption and effectiveness of Cheston Cold suspension.
• Antidepressants (e.g., Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine, Selegiline): These MAO inhibitors can cause dangerous interactions, leading to high blood pressure.
• Anti-anxiety medications (e.g., Alprazolam, Lorazepam): These can increase drowsiness and sedation.
• Muscle relaxants (e.g., Carisoprodol, Cyclobenzaprine): These can enhance the sedative effects, leading to excessive drowsiness.
• Antibiotics (e.g., Isoniazid): This can increase the risk of liver toxicity when combined with paracetamol.
• Anticonvulsant medication (e.g., Carbamazepine): This can increase the risk of side effects by affecting liver enzymes.
• Anti-seizure medications (e.g., Phenobarbital, Phenytoin): These can decrease the effectiveness of Cheston Cold suspension by speeding up its metabolism.
• Antipsychotic medications (e.g., Phenothiazine): These can interact with the decongestants in Cheston Cold suspension, leading to increased risk of dizziness, drowsiness, and blood pressure changes.

Recommended Dosage of Cheston Cold for children

The typical recommended dosage for Cheston Cold suspension is one to two tsp daily. The exact dosage may vary based on the severity of the condition. It’s crucial to adhere to the prescribed dosage to avoid side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, impaired coordination, and difficulty falling asleep.

This is a common medication for colds and allergies in children and can be easily procured from online medicine purchase websites. However, it’s important to adhere to the daily recommended dose for the optimal effectiveness of this suspension.

Precautionary Measures

When giving Cheston Cold suspension  consider the following precautions:

• Avoid Other Paracetamol Products: Do not give other products containing paracetamol to avoid overdose.
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: This suspension should not be taken if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Existing Conditions and Medications: Inform your doctor about any existing diseases and ongoing medications before giving Cheston Cold suspension.
• Activities Requiring Alertness: This medication may affect the mental or physical abilities required to use machines or drive a vehicle. Your child may experience dizziness after taking this suspension. Therefore, any attentive task, such as riding a bicycle is not recommended after taking it.